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LOOKING BACK, I IN MCNAIRY COUNTY, TENNESSEE

Wooten Bridge in the southwest part of the county Last known trestle bridge. Picture taken ca 1970 by Charles Whitlow

Compiled by Nancy Wardlow Kennedy

July 2004

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LOOKING BACK, ILOOKING BACK, ILOOKING BACK, ILOOKING BACK, I

IN MCNAIRY COUNTY, TENNESSEEIN MCNAIRY COUNTY, TENNESSEEIN MCNAIRY COUNTY, TENNESSEEIN MCNAIRY COUNTY, TENNESSEE

Get your weapons ready.

Have you your pistols?

Have you sharp-edged axes?

Pioneer! O pioneers!

We debouched upon a newer,

Mighter world, varied world,

Fresh and strong the world we seize,

World of labor and the march,

Pioneer! O pioneers!

Walt Whitman

COMPILED BY NANCY WARDLOW KENNEDY Information for LOOKING BACK is obtained from various sources and not always verified. All research, court cases and transcribing by Nancy Wardlow Kennedy, unless otherwise noted. Acknowledgement is given, when known, to the source or author. I am sorry for any errors – they are not intentional. Looking Back is a random collection of McNairy County History. This is not an English essay so please expect misspelled words, typo’s and other errors. An index was made to help but it may also contain errors and omissions.

March 1, 2015: When I was diagnosed with a meningioma in December, I decided to put all my work on the McNairy County website, in hopes it would help someone else. Some of my work, such as this one, has not been proofed, so please overlook any errors. It is not indexed. Rather, it was indexed, but different programs and printers changed the page layout and the original index is not correct. Since time was my biggest obstacle, I did not go back and index. Please use your ‘Find’ key to search this document. Some of my work will overlap and be included in more than one document, but I thought it better to share than to be precise. My work as been important to me and important for it to be preserved. I love McNairy County History and I love those who love it with me.

Table of Contents

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Why I Love Genealogy 3 Newspaper Abstracts 1908 and 1919 5 Newspaper Articles: Friends of Removal at Falcon, 1881 25 Election notice & two letters about Courthouse Removal 26 Reunion of Old Settlers, speech by Abernathy, 1897 27 Reunion of Old Settlers, speech by A W Stovall 27 First Mayor of Selmer - H P Wood 31 Gooch School News April 1926 34 Other Days – 1902 34 Fortunes Store - no date 35 Remember When 36 A Tribute to P H Thrasher 37 First Court in the Courthouse Oct 1891 38 J A Farris death 38 Aunt Cynthia Parker 38 Another Article about P H Thrasher 40 Richard Hill vs Harriet Hill Divorce, 1878 41 McNairy County Real Estate Improvement Company 41 Luther Haynes, death 1909 42 Snake Bite Remedy 42 Reminiscences by W K Abernathy 1884 43 Happenings at Falcon 1891 45 History of the J. C. Gooch family 46 Bethel Springs Grade School 1855 47 When Democrats and Whigs Ruled 48 Jim & Ira - Our First Banjo 49 News from District No 2 (no date) 50 An Interesting Letter From Texas - About the Garrett Family 50 From a Former McNairian, 1931 - News about old Stantonville 52 R B Lain Tells of Olden Days 53 Why Jim and Ira left Adamsville 54 Mary Ferguson vs Nancy Jane Ferguson, 1865 55 Poll List of August 3, 1916 Election 55 Shooting Affair, May 1905 & Watermelon Thief 76 News from Cypress, no date 76 Charlie Harwell vs Margaret Harwell Divorce 1880 77 Muddy Road and McNairy County Schools in 1920 77 Estate of H N Emmons 79 Cotton Ridge 80 David Atkins Lineage 82 John Austin Lineage 83

WHY I LOVE GENEALOGY

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by Nancy Wardlow Kennedy My first memories are very vague. I remember the little red rocker that I had when I was little and Phillip sawed the rockers off. I remember Mama going to bed with me to get me a good warm spot in the feather bed on a cold winter's night. I barely remember what it was like when we had the coal-oil lamps and mama would make teacakes before we went to bed. My first strongest memory in my young life was of death. I still remember the feeling I experienced when I realized that I would die. One afternoon, sitting on the north wall of the living room that thought struck me and it was more than I could bear. In my childish, mind I thought it would be immediately and my eyes roamed around the place I called home, lingering on the things I would miss when I was gone. I had no conception of heaven, all I knew was that I would be gone. Gone from Mother who was busy sewing in the rocking chair. Gone from Daddy, who always had a big grin on his face and gone from my two brothers and sister. Silently, the tears dripped down my cheeks and flowed like a river through my heart. I never confided my fears to Mother - if I had, she would have quieted them. Since I was very little, it could have been that this great realization of dying came after Grandmother Burn's death in 1948. I hate to tell you my age, but I would have been 5 years old. I cannot remember Grandma Burns, really she was my great grandmother. No matter how much I try, I cannot remember her. Betty, Gary and Phillip do. They tell me if you spent the night with Grandma Burns you went to bed at 4 in the afternoon. Mama used to tell about the pen of geese she had to make her feather beds, about Grandpa hiding his whiskey in the barn so grandma wouldn't find it and they never had a toilet. I can't remember the teacakes or the cold ham and biscuits. No I can’t remember Grandma and Grandpa, but in my heart I know them and I love them. She was short, very short. She would have come up to about my shoulders. My aunt Maggie was just like her. Grandpa was thin and wiry. You know what - they still live on. If you look at Terry Burns, you see Grandpa, they have the same build. I have always been a big history lover. History and genealogy go hand in hand. Although all history lovers do not like genealogy but nearly almost all genealogists love history I found out the hard way, there is no middle ground with genealogy. You love it or hate it. About 6-7 years ago, late one Tuesday after, Nell Kulo came by my office and said, "Hi, we are sixth cousins." I just looked at her. Never saw her before in my life. Never seen her since. Tommy Prather sent her downstairs because she was researching the Wardlow family and we were indeed cousins. We had the same great great grandfather, John Wardlow. She left me some notes, which I promptly took home and stashed away in a drawer on the back porch. I was not interested in genealogy, I couldn't even say the word, much less spell it. I didn't want to learn which tree my ancestors swung from hundreds of years ago. However, I did go to see Miss Bonnie Whitamore, a 96 year old cousin of my grandfather. I wrote down all she told me about my Bolding cousins, the Rushings and the Farrises, which I carried home and stashed away with my Wardlow papers. It was about two years later, on impulse I decided to go to the library one cold rainy night. I was the only one there and Lora Pearl showed me around the history room and how to use the census books. That night I found the Hookers, my great great great grandparents, their daughter Elizabeth married my John Wardlow. Old Samuel Hooker, whom I can only visualize in my mind, live too many years ago for a picture, or at least I haven't found one. I see him as a tough, old man donning hide skin clothes and coon skin cap. A wanderer was he. He was born in North Carolina in 1779 and came to east Tennessee early. He then moved to Kentucky, Alabama and then back to Tennessee. He came to McNairy County about 1830.

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In my cold car on the way home through the icy rain, I thought of Barsheba Hooker. Probably on a night such as this, I thought, poor old Barsheba was huddled in a wagon trying to keep her many children warm, or if she was lucky in some 10x10 lean-to somewhere in Kentucky, Alabama or Tennessee. She followed her husband, in the hot sunshine, in the rain, in the cold, always looking for a better place. My heart exploded, tears stung my eyes. I felt a sense of awe and I was overwhelmed with love for this Barsheba Hooker. Without her I would never be. I was hooked, I fell into the river of genealogy, hook, line and sinker. When I found the Hooker's graves at Mt. Carmel Cemetery at Wenasoga, Ms, I felt the ground beneath me was not dust and bones but a part of me: Nancy Wardlow Kennedy. I remember as a kid, daddy always named all the fields: the new ground, the bottom field and the old house place. I remember the old house place with yucca cactus growing on the hillside. I was too little to work so I would spend the day looking for pieces of colored glass. Even then, I loved history for I would think about the people that used to live there years ago and did they have a little child like me. Collecting old pictures has become a hobby for me and many times I get them out and ponder over their lives. One picture I have is of an old, old woman. Malinda Farris was 97 when she died in 1923, many years before I was born. Looking at her picture, I can tell she was a spirited and determined woman. She smoked a stone pipe, dipped snuff and used brown mule chewing tobacco. Her husband was sickly and left the discipline of their children up to her. It was a big responsibility to raise ten kids so she kept a big hickory switch to use on them when necessary. If they didn't get along she gave them a lick and told them to love each other. She broke her hip in her old age. But of course she was an old woman for at least 30 years. In the 1800's even a sixty year old woman was old and she lived to be 97. She was converted, apparently in her old age, and was baptized in Huggins Pond below the Gravel Hill Primitive Baptist Church. The preacher and her boys carried her out in the water in a rocking chair. Another descendant still has this rocking chair. When the baby girl, Lina got old enough to marry, the boys told her if she would stay home and take care of mama they would give her a mare and a saddle. To which Malinda told her, "do what you want Lina, horses die and saddles get stolen." No Malinda's not dead, I can feel her spirit in my heart. She lives on in me and hundreds of others that are fortunate to call her Blessed Grandmother. Hanging on my home office wall is a charcoal sketch of Louisa and John Davis. So young, so handsome, my confederate soldier. He touches my heart and I have mourned over one I never knew. We have in the family, the last letter he ever wrote telling his dear wife and five little children not to grieve for him. He never realized, dying on the cold ground in Virginia, he would live on through his daughters and their children and their children. Or that one day, 130 years later, a great, great granddaughter would hang his picture in her office. There is a picture of a young and very good looking couple with three little boys, a little girl and a baby. The mother, daughter of Malinda Farris, very beautiful, reflects a sadness in her eyes. Did she know that soon life would pass her by? Elzetta Farris Bolding died when the baby was two years old. Gone in the prime of her life. Yet she is not gone. She lives on in me, through her oldest son and through my mother. I love genealogy because I can feel in my heart something for those that went before me. To Pocahontas, from whom I am descended, I feel a kinship. To old Charlie Burns that stole the brass weights in London and given the choice of prison or the colonies, I feel a closeness. To John Verdell who stowed away on a boat from France, to Merry Webb, an unusual name for a man, to Martin Martin and Laura Carolina Ashcraft. I find their names written in the pages of history and I realize that there is not an end to the beginning and there is not a beginning of the end. I am a part of them and they are a part of me. I am not alone.

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I am Van Wardlow and Minnie Bolding, James Haynes, Billy Burns and Elizabeth Powell. Without them I would not exist. And justly so, just as in the Wardlows, the Bolding, the Hookers, the Rushings and many others live in me, so will I live in the Myers, the Howells and the Parmelys. Often times I see my daddy's smile spread across my grandson's face. My daughter speaks with my grandmother's voice and my brother has my uncle's laughter. I see my granddaughter doing the same things her daddy did when he was a child. The present is the past and the past become the future. I know that as long as there is one of us left, I shall never die.

NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS 1908 AND 1919

JANUARY 3, 1908 Monday morning before Christmas Mattie Erwin, better known as Mattie Roberts, was found dead in her cabin in the western suburbs of town. It is thought by the doctors who first saw her that she had been criminally assaulted and probably smothered to death. Suspicion pointed to her husband Sol Erwin from whom she parted. A horse track led to and from her house, and a man’s tracks led to and from the door. It had rained and the tracks were plain. She was on the bed and her cloths showed liberties had been taken, though no evidence of violence was about her throat or neck to show that she was smothered or chocked. She was quite old, perhaps 65 years, and lived alone, but had moved to where she was only a few days before, clues are being followed which may result in a solving of the mystery. It is barley possible that she may have died suddenly while in a criminating position and the party fled in terror. A rug was on the footboard of the bed with mud on it that looked like it had been placed there to keep muddy shoes from the furniture. Capt. & Mrs. White, of Florence, Ala. have been spending the Holidays with their daughter, Mrs. J. L. Adams and other relatives in Selmer.

JANUARY 16, 1908 Dave Carter and family of Gravel Hill left Monday morning for Oklahoma, where they will reside in the future. Mr Carter was a good citizen and the county regrets to give him up. JANUARY 19, 1908

Capt. Albert A. Anderson of Henderson was almost instantly killed Saturday by being caught in his gin and his arm torn from the shoulder. The shock was so terrible that he died about four hours after the accident. His death will be greatly deplored by a large circle of acquaintances. He has been public life many years. He was door keeper of the United States Congress during Speaker Crisp's. He has held the position of Marshall of the Supreme Courts at Jackson, warden of the state penitentiary and sheriff of Chester county for three successive terms. He was a most cheerful, pleasant, affable, sincere and upright in all his dealings. His personal integrity was above question. He was a consistent member of the M. E. church. C. A. Massengill and family left yesterday for their New Mexico home, all wish them success and regret to lose them from our community.

JANUARY 17, 1908 Last Friday night the city council elected J. T. Barnhill mayor to fill out the unexpired term of J. C. Houston, appointed county judge. We trust and believe that the selection was a wise one.

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JANUARY 24, 1908 E. E. Hagy and wife of Almagardo, N. M. are visiting home folks. Mr. Hagy has been there for his health. JANUARY 31, 1908 Mr. Eugene Whitehurst after an absence of five years in the West is with his relatives in Selmer for a few days. He is now living at Oklahoma City, Okla. J. F. Moore, aged 71 years, living in the 2d district died Tuesday of pneumonia. He was the father of our townswoman, Mrs. J. H. Scott and an old and highly respected citizen of the county. AGED 110 years ---- The Lady Kemp living with her son-in-law, Tom Richard, two miles north of Selmer. This old lady we have referred to before on account of her age, which is unquestionably 110 years. She has been blind and bed - ridden for months and life simply passed out of the old shell mortality. FEBRUARY 7, 1908 After two or three weeks suffering, Mrs. Mary Williams departed this life February 1, 1908 at her home in the 1st district aged 78 years. She professed faith in Christ some forty years ago and joined the M. E. church south. She lived a consistent Christian affectionate wife, a kind mother and was loved by all who knew her labors and her work shall follow her. Though she be dead yet shall she live again. She can never come back to you, but you can go to her. Oh! may we all live as she lived and died as she died, in full triumph of a living faith. She was buried in Sulphur Springs cemetery Feb. 3, 1908. J. H. F. Mrs. Rosa Reeder was 88 years old last Sunday, and is the only woman known in the county who has a living son who was in the Confederate army. Capt. W. A. Reeder is her son and is 65 years. If there is another mother in the county of a soldier in either army please notify us. FEBRUARY 14, 1908 Mrs. J. D. Mullens has been at the bedside of her mother who died a few days ago. She has the sympathy of her Selmer friends in her sad loss. James Paschal, Selmer's handy man for 10 years, has gone to Corinth with his aunt. The town will miss his presence and the show will have one more front seat. Mrs. W. S. Plunk aged 72 years died Friday, at her home four miles north of Bethel. She was buried at Liberty on Saturday, Rev. Austin officiating. Deceased was a lifelong member of the Wesleyan church and a noble woman. She leaves her husband, Mr. W. S. Plunk. She was a mother of two children, both of whom are dead. She leaves a large number of kindred, who mourn her loss. Probably the Plunk family is the most numerous one in the county and all of them good citizens.

FEBRUARY 28, 1908 Mr. Stanford Willis lost his young baby on the 8th and Mr. J. Z. Adkins lost his two - year old baby on the 10th. MARCH 6, 1908 Jack Clayton and family left Monday night for New Mexico, his friends wish him success in his new home. He sold his farm to Mr. Will Hockaday.

MARCH 13, 1908 Mrs. M. J. Shelton: Where as, it has pleased God in his infinite wisdom and love to have the death angel, on Feb 22, claimed the mother of WOW Gov. Sidney Shelton, who was a member of Dewy

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Camp, NO 78, W. O. W. Mrs. M. J. Shelton had reached the age of 67 years, having been born and reared in McNairy county. She professed faith in Christ in her early childhood, having been united with the Baptist church about 12 years. Mrs. Shelton possessed all the faith of a true Christian woman. She leaves children and relatives and friends to mourn her loss. Be it resolved, by Dewey Camp NO 78 W. O. W., that we extend our sympathy to the bereaved ones, and say, weep not for our loss is her gain. Submit to him who depth all things well and be consoled by her pure Christian character, that we may live to clasp her hand on the eternal shore, where parting no more. John D. Null died Friday and was buried Saturday, Rev. J. H. Curry conducting the burial services assisted by Rev. J. H. Maxedon. Mr. Null was 56 years and three months. He was stricken with pneumonia about one week ago. Being physically unable to withstand the disease his condition from the first was considered dangerous. Mr. Null was once in business at Falcon and afterward at Selmer, for several years he has been retired and lived a life of recluse. He disposed of his estate amounting to about $4,000 by will made in his last sickness. He was never married and therefore left no kindred nearer than two half sisters and a niece. He divided his property among them after directing his executors to use $1,000 in erecting a monument and caring for his grave. Albert Gillespie and U. S. Alexander are named as executors. The host of A. C. Lea's here Saturday, while he made a short stay with us. He is still at Shreveport, LA. holding down the U. S. Marshall's office. Judge H. P. Wood arrived Sunday from his home at Sapulpa, Okla. and is spending a week with us attending to his unfinished business here. He says up to this time he is very well pleased with his Western home. MARCH 20, 1908 Mrs. Zena Ray died of pneumonia and was buried at Woodville Sunday, the 14, 1908. She leaves a husband and three children to mourn her departure. A large host of relatives and friends tender their sympathies to the bereaved. It has been only a short time since her father, Mr. Jas. Moore, died. Last Monday Mr. Will Hatch, a man of excellent standing and a prominent farmer residing just over in Hardeman Co., but well known through the western side of McNairy, was killed instantly by a falling limb at his home and was buried on Tuesday, March 10th, at Piney Grove. A large concourse of friends attended the funeral. D. W. Reid, aged 69 years , died a few days ago at his home in the 9th district. He was stricken with paralysis a few days before he died. He was formerly a justice of the peace, and a man of fine standing and his loss will be seriously felt. He leaves a wife and eight children all grown. W. H. Beck died at his home at Guys Tuesday. He, after supper, spoke of not feeling well and lay down on the bed, asking his wife to read to him from a volume he had been reading from, when his wife discovered him gasp and was instantly dead. He was aged 66 years, was a Confederate soldier and long a teacher of the county. He leaves a wife and two children. His wife is the daughter of Esq. R. S. Houston, and a sister a wife of Judge J. C. Houston. He was buried at Guys cemetery Rev. W. O. Waggoner officiating.

MARCH 27, 1908 Mark McAfee attended the funeral of his brother, Dr. Elbert McAfee Sunday. APRIL 3, 1908 Thomas Boatman was born May 18, 1837. in McNairy county. He was reared in the vicinity of Pleasant Grove. He enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861, in which he remained a faithful soldier

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until the latter part of the war. In the battle of Atlanta he received a wound that necessitated the amputation of his right leg. His general deportment was such that he made friends wherever he went, who cared for him in his affliction and conveyed as an industrious and economizing man. He lived with and helped care for his mother until her death. He was never married but he was attentive and cared for those who were near and dear to him. He had a rare character for assisted in the erection of church house and the support of the Gospel. His remains were interred in the Sulphur Springs cemetery March 25th. The funeral service were conducted by the writer in the presence of a weeping host of relatives and friends. He leaves two brothers and three sisters and a number of other relatives and friends to mourn his death. J. W. Wallace. W. P. Baysinger, aged 84 years the 29th of last February, died at his home on Oxford Creek last Friday evening while sitting in his chair. Not with-standing, he had suffered with dropsical affection for several years, he had been born in Lincoln county, Tenn. and came to McNairy with his parents in 1837 and had resided here during the 71 years intervening. He has been a member of the C. P. Church for about 35 years, and was a man of the highest order of moral convictions. He left two sons J. W. and W. D. Baysinger, and five daughters, Mrs. Issiac Brooks, Mrs. D. M. Baker, Mrs. E. H. Garrett, Mrs. J. G. Anderson and Mrs. Sallie Holcomb. The latter, since the death of her husband, has made as did J. W. Baysinger, her home with him. He visited all his children last fall realizing at time that it would be his last visit, and divided with them the limited accumulations of a long and industrious life. He was selected at the unveiling of the monument of the old setters of the county a few years ago, to draw the curtain as being then the oldest inhabitant of the county. He died as he lived, with peace for all mankind, and his memory will long be fresh in the hearts of all the old people. He was laid to rest Sunday beside his wife in the Falcon cemetery. Rev. J. H. Curry and Job Maxedon conducting the services. A large concourse in attendance of sorrowing relatives and friends. Alfred McCullar, age 63, died Wednesday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lee Alexander, of paralysis. He had been in failing health for several months, and was stricken down the first of the week while in Selmer and was taken to his daughters, where he lingered unconscious until Wednesday night. He was a son of Alex McCullar. He leaves three daughters. His wife having died several years ago. He was a man of good habits, and while peculiar in many respects had the confidence and esteem of his acquaintances. He was buried Thursday at the family graveyard near where he was born, one mile from Selmer. (McCullar Cemetery - born Aug 19, 1839 died Apr 2, 1909.) Misses Bulah and Eulelah Allen of Union City, have been visiting their aunt, Mrs. E. F. Hendrix, this week. Dr. Lawson Jones of Oklahoma passed through here from a visit to his wife's father, C. W. McBride, on Lick creek, Saturday. Mrs. J. G. Anderson of Jackson, Pat Baker of Memphis, Ernest Anderson of Water Valley, and Lee Baysinger of Adamsville were present at the funeral of Mr. W. P. Baysinger Sunday. Mr. R. A. Garrett, formerly a citizen of Falcon but for twenty years a citizen of Gainesville, Tex. is spending a few weeks with relatives and old acquaintances of the county. He made us a pleasant call Tuesday. He is an uncle of our townsman W. H. Thompson. Philip Gerhart, known by many people of Selmer, died in Oklahoma recently, and his remains were brought to Savannah for interment. The deceased will be remembered as the brother of the late Mrs. Annie Thrasher and was a man of sterling worth. He married Miss Memphis K. Paine some years ago, and she survive him, although reported, dangerously ill at her home in Oklahoma. Vit O' Neal and family have moved to Henderson. Mrs. Albert Picket was seriously hurt last week by a tree falling on her, and her recovery is doubtful. " Uncle Pat" Baysinger died at the old home on Oxford Creek three miles from town, Saturday and was buried at the Falcon cemetery Sunday morning at 11 o'clock. The deceased was as interesting

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character, and belonged to the old school. He was more than four score years old, and spent his life in the county. During all of his life he won and retained the confidence of the people. In his death another of the pioneers, has passed into the Great Beyond, and thinner and thinner become the ranks of our fathers. He served his day and generations with fidelity and has joined the comrades of the past in the world beyond. The death of such as he who has lived so long, watching with fortitude the coming and going of the seasons, is solemn and jet sublime. The associations of youth and young manhood had long since passed away. His mind wandered along the musty corridors of the district past, and his soul yearned for another day and another home. He struggled not to live, calmly and peacefully he dropped to sleep. On the morrow his eyes opened upon a new world and his rapt vision feared upon the immeasurable riches of a new life. Rev. Curry and Maxedon conducted the funeral service. APRIL 17, 1908 Clarksville, Ark. Editor Independent:

Through the kindness of our cousins Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Houston (God bless them ) we have been weekly readers of your paper for twelve months. Will say that it has been the source of great enjoyment to us. Of course during that time we have read some things that made us feel very sad indeed. Not long since we noticed that W. H. Beck had passed away suddenly, I suppose that was our cousin, Tobe, as we always called him. They tell me there are very few people there that I would know now, as it has been almost 25 years since we bid adue to McNairy. It still does us good to think of the old county and the dear people. Spring with all its beauty seems to be with us again, although today is cold enough for an overcoat. The farmers all have their corn planted. This is the first season we have failed to get out early in the morning and gear up our horses for the plow for forty years. When we were with our father in McNairy we were always tieing our hamstrings by the time we could see the sun. It makes us feel sad to think of these things, but still we love to think on them. We have preaching here all the time. We have the Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist churches. They all have preaching every Sunday and Sunday night, and great deal of the time through the week. A couple of Presbyterian evangelists held a three weeks meeting here in March and there were 140 additions to the church. I wish cousin R. P. Meeks could come out and preach for us. We have just passed through a very exciting election campaign. The hottest time was between the candidates for governor. Tell all the people " Howdy " for me. With all respects to our relatives and all McNairians. J. M. Michie

APRIL 24, 1908 Bethel Springs: As I have finished reading the Independent and not seeing anything from this part of the county I thought I would write you a short letter. Everything is moving along nicely in this part of the county. My Uncle, R. F. Sweatt, whom home is in Hattiesburg, Miss., has been visiting us all recently, and he and my father, W. M. Sweatt, are visiting their sister, Mrs. Smallwood, near Bethel Springs. This morning was egg eating time and I got my share. Hope everyone did.

On the first Sunday in May at 11 o'clock Dewey Camp NO 78,Woodmen of the World, will unveil the monument of Sovereign J. C. Leonard. Everybody invited to attend, especially the members of the Woodmen of the World. The unveiling will be at Moore's school house, six miles west of Selmer. ( This was a cemetery marker. J C Leonard born Dec 6, 1860 died May 7, 1907, buried at Moore’s School House Cemetery) Rev. James Kirkman returned to his Illinois home Tuesday after spending Monday with his

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father, A. N. Kirkman. William Lea left Sunday for Louisiana where he enters business with a big lumber company. His family will remain here a couple of weeks. We wish him prosperity in his new field. Mr. R. H. Garrett, of Gainesville, Texas who has been spending a month with old friends in the county, left Tuesday for his home, accompanied by his niece, a sister of W. H. Thompson, and Mr. Thompson's mother, Mrs. Prather, who go to visit relatives in Texas. MAY 1, 1908 Talmage, six year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil A. Jopling, died Wed, April 22, 1908. Mrs. Robert Stone and little child, of Jackson are spending a few days with her mother, Mrs. J. H. Scott, on Pharr Avenue. J. A. Plunk aged 84, is now the oldest man born in the county. He lives near the spot where he was born, four miles north of Bethel Springs. He enjoys good health and all the enjoyable things in life. William Lea returned Sunday from a prospecting tour in Louisiana, and did not like the country, and has accepted an offer to take charge of a large stock farm near Norfolk, Va. whither he and family are gone. We wish him success in his new field, and regret that he could not see his way clear to locate with the friends of his boyhood. MAY 7, 1908 Miss Verie Browder, daughter of Mrs. Mary Mills, died at Bemis Tuesday of malarial fever after an illness of about a month. Her body was brought to Selmer Wednesday night and buried at Prospect graveyard Thursday morning. MAY 15, 1908 Mrs. M. J. Wilson, aged 75 years, died at her home in Bethel Springs Saturday and buried Sunday, Rev. A. H. Dulaney officiating. Mrs. Wilson was the relict of Col. W. C. Wilson who died several years ago. The family was one of the pioneers of the county and had always lived at or near Bethel. Mrs. Wilson was a woman much over the ordinary in intellect and that which goes to make up a strong Christian character. Since childhood she had been a prominent member of the Presbyterian church. Her home, whose hospitality we have often enjoyed, was an ideal one. She leaves two daughters and one son, O. C. Wilson, editor of the Adamsville Enterprise, Mrs. Crump Wilson and Miss Lilly Wilson, daughters survive her. To the children and relatives we extend our feeble condolence. Miss Vera Browder died at the home of her mother, Mrs. Mary Mills, in Bemis, Tenn., Wednesday morning at 3:10 o'clock, aged 16 years, 7 months and 25 days, after a lingering illness of about six weeks with typhoid fever. Funeral service were held at the home in Bemis Wednesday evening at 3:30 o' clock by Rev. T. F. Sanders before a large numbers of friends and acquaintances. Her remains were brought to Selmer Wednesday night and carried to Prospect graveyard and buried Thursday morning, May 7th, where service were held by Rev. Curry before a large number of relatives and friends. The grave was covered with beautiful floral offerings. (Another article, says she died of malarial fever. Buried at Prospect Cemetery. Born 1892, died May 6, 1908.) Ike Cummings, a very good negro living near Falcon, died Monday, was buried Tuesday.

MAY 29, 1908 A SAD ACCIDENT: The 12 year old son of Geo. Moore, living five miles west of Selmer, fell Tuesday on his face in the mud while crossing a little swampy place, and when found an hour afterward was dead.

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He was subject to epileptic fits and one struck him just as he was crossing on a rail the wet place. He was seldom allowed to be alone, but on this occasion had left the house with his little bow and arrow to shoot a bird near the house and was not missed until the dinner hour. While always an invalid the boy was the pet of the household, and the parents are sadly stricken. Mrs. Minnie Rogers of Black Oak, Ark. came Saturday and will spend some time with her father, Hon. P. H. Thrasher, and sister, Mrs. Geo. L. Anderson. Mr. and Mrs. Martin of Paris are visiting, her parents Dr. and Mrs. W. T. Bell. JUNE 5, 1908 KILLED BY LIGHTENING: Wednesday afternoon Walter Prather, aged 19 years, son of J. S. Prather, living two miles south of Falcon, was instantly killed by lighting. He was lying on a trunk in a hall of the house and the stroke entered the back of his head, setting his clothes on fire. His mother was near by and received no damage. He was a promising young man and his death was a great shock to his family and many friends.

DISTRICT NO 2: On Sunday morning, May 17, 1908 Mr. and Mrs. Willie Dillon awoke to find their six weeks old infant dead in bed, having died during the night. The cause of its death is not known, but it is believed that it died with the bold hives. It was buried at Buna Vista on Monday, May 18. Mr. Joe Foster lost his two months old baby on Thursday May 21, and it was buried at Mt. Gilead on the 22. The cause of its death was measles. Very much sympathy is tendered to the bereaved families. Many of our people were at Sandy Flat doing homage to the aged soldiers. W. P. Parrish was here Wednesday expecting to meet the body of his oldest son who died Tuesday in Colorado. JUNE 12, 1908

The many old friends of Judge J. V. Wright, of Washington, will regret to learn of his dangerous condition. He was stricken with mild paralysis about a month ago and instead of recovering he has gradually weakened and considering his age, 80 years the 28th of this month, his friends hold out but little hope of recovery. He and his brother, Gen. Marcus J. Wright, expected to visit their old county this summer, but his visit two years ago will probably be his last. Prof. James Hendrix and wife of Bloomfield, Okla. are visiting relatives in Selmer this week. Prof. Hendrix is a brother of E. F. Hendrix, and has been in the west twenty - five years. He has charge of a government school for Indian girls at Bloomfield. THOUGHT HUSBAND WAS A BURGLAR: John Perkins, living near Crump's Landing, lost his life in a most simple manner Saturday night. He and wife with young baby lived alone. He desired to go to the Farmers Union meeting that night. She expressed fear at being left alone. He showed her how to shoot his pistol and told her to shoot if anyone came around. Returning in about two hours with some friends, he asked them to stop at the gate and he would scare his wife. He shook the window, to which she made no reply. Finally he got in the room, when she took two rapid shots at him, the second one killing him instantly. The young wife is crazed with grief. She has the sympathy of the people, rather than the thoughtless husband. DISTRICT NO 2: Mr. George Whitten's baby, nearly two years of age, died Friday, June 5th, and was buried at Mt. Gilead. The bereaved family has the sympathy of all the neighborhood. JUNE 19, 1908

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JUDGE JOHN V WRIGHT: It will sadness to many McNairians to learn of the death of Judge John V. Wright on Friday at his home in Washington. As all know, he was born and reared to manhood, in Purdy. He made the race for representative in 1854 against a man know as " Hogback " Brown, and was defeated by only one vote. It was always understood Brown voted for himself, contrary to custom for opposing candidates to vote for each other. He was then taken up by the party and nominated for congress, and for two terms before the war and leading up to the time of the state seceding he held that position. His service during the war was mostly in the Confederate congress. In 1858 he built a magnificent mansion in Purdy and brought his young bride from Alabama. The opening of this establishment was the social event of the day. It remained intact until after the war and then passed into other hands. Its beauty gave way to the ravages of time, and only a few years ago fire swept it from the beautiful grounds. The war and its result financially wrecked Judge Wright. His wife inherited a large estate in slaves and Alabama plantations which both went with the war. His race for governor is well remembered. He, Wilson and Hawkins held a joint discussion at the fair grounds at Purdy during that canvass. About twenty - five years ago he was appointed at the head of a bureau in the land office at Washington which he held until his death. He was the authority on all questions concerning public lands, and his loss will be severely felt in the Interior Department. Two years ago he visited Selmer and delivered an address which we published as a historical serial in the Independent. He spent several days here and warmed the hearts of many a young man, who only before, knew of him. He had a magnetic personality. During his whole life spent elsewhere than in the county of his birth and early manhood, he never lost interest in McNairy county and her people. In fact, we never knew two brothers he - and Gen. Marcus J. Wright - who had such an attachment for the place of their nativity. They could for hours recount incidents and personal reminiscences of people and places of over sixty years ago which to most people would have been only a forgotten dream. While his will rest in Washington, we wish his preference would be on the old hill near Purdy, where lie the bones of his illustrious parents. JUNE 26, 1908 DEATH OF GEN J D ATKINS: At his home in Paris, Tenn. Sunday morning the 21st, aged 84 years. This death will bring sadness to many hearths all though the 8th district. All the old voters knew personally Gen. Atkins, he has during his public life, before and since the war, made speeches in almost every district three terms in congress since the war, the last position he held was that on the Indian commission under Cleveland. The last visit he made to Selmer was as an advocate of Palmer and Buckner as a sound money democrat. Thus passes away one of the two survivors of the war who held membership in congress before and since the war, and was a member of the Confederate congress. IN MEMORIAL - JUDGE JOHN V WRIGHT - Obit, June 12, 1908: The Angel of Death that had hovered for many weeks over one of Washington's happiest homes descended and bore away to the great here after the husband and father June 12. The grief - stricken wife and children sit in the gloom of bereavement because the light of his presence has been removed from their heart's throne where he sat as king. His devoted brother, the General, has received a heavy blow. In life they were inseparable friends as well as loving brothers. During their long residence in Washington's capitol they made it a point to be together every Sunday if health permitted. On Sunday, June 14th, Gen. Marcus J. Wright looked for the last time on earth on the features of his brother, which were hidden forever from sight that afternoon. To the many friends of Judge John V. Wright in this city the morning paper of June 13th brought the heavy tiding that he had passed away from all who loved and admired him here. Truly we all felt a deep sense of loss, realizing that we would not look upon his face again. A host of friends in McNairy county who were hoping to have him in their mist again feel a deep disappointment along with their grief for his death.

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Born in Purdy he grew up there to a splendid young manhood and early began a marvelous career that continued through a larger portion of his life. This has become a portion of a larger portion of his life. This has become a portion of the history of Tennessee, with which McNairians are well acquainted. I leave it to abler pens to enlarge upon it. The brothers, Judge John V. and General Marcus J, Wright were both prominently identified with the South during the Civil war, each being " a hero in the strife". One of the most wonderful facts in their lives was the recognition each received from the United States government after the reconstruction period, although both brothers remained firm in their political beliefs. That these emoluments were the reward of undisputed merit goes without saving. Judge John V. Wright was born in " flowery June", almost four score ago, and after a long active life lay down to sleep amidst its roses. He has awakened to the light of another day. " Requiescat In Peace".

JANUARY 3, 1919 Mrs. D. W. Hester, aged 71 years, died at her home in Bethel Springs, Monday night December 30, 1918, of pneumonia. She was a sister of Rev. J. B. Maxedon, and a member of the old, highly respected family. She was laid to rest in Buena Vista cemetery Wednesday, Rev. Newsom conducting the service. She leaves in addition to her husband, four sons and one daughter, all grown. She was a noble Christian woman. We extend our sympathy to the bereaved family. Rev. T. E. Foust died Monday night at the home of his mother - in - law, Mrs. W. M. Lockman. He had been declining for several months with tuberculosis and gave up his work at the last Conference. He was a consecrated minister and a most loveable character. He leaves a stricken wife and six children. He was laid to rest Wednesday in Oak Hill cemetery. Our condolence goes to the family bereft of a kind husband and a loving father. Asa Lain, aged 36 years died of influenza at his home near Bethesda, December 24th and his remains were buried in the Bethesda cemetery the following afternoon, Rev. Wm. Throne conducting the funeral. He leaves a wife and four young children and a number of grown brothers and sisters. We extend our sincere sympathy to the bereaved. Miss Fannie Chambers, aged 64 years, died Sunday at Ramer in the home of her niece, Mrs. George A. Prather, after a short illness of pneumonia. The funeral was conducted by Elder. J. A. Houston and burial took place in the Ramer cemetery Tuesday. She was a splendid Christian lady and her death is regretted by all. Death of Sgt. Wm. Hamilton in Chateau - Thierry Battle. - CO. B, 9th Infantry, A. E. F. Nov. 25, 1918 - My dear Mrs. Hamilton: I have received your letter dated October 22. I am glad to give you all the information I can regarding the death of your son, which occurred during the time the 9th Infantry held back the Germans when they attempted to drive through for Paris, at Chateau - Thierry. Company B was stationed in the woods, and just before turning in for the night, a heavy bombardment leveled at our sector was commenced by the Germans artillery. It was during this barrage that your son met his unfortunate death. William's death came instantly and without pain, and I know it will be a source of genuine pride to you to know that he met his death as a brave and loyal soldier of our great country. William was thought very highly of throughout the company and the regiment and his death caused deep sorrow and regret among all his friends and acquaintance. He was at all times a good soldier, always performing his duties in a courageous and prompt manner. I am forwarding your letter to the proper authorities who will give you the information you desired regarding the burial place of your son. Yours truly - 1st. Sgt. F. B. Welter. The two - year old child of Squire and Mrs. N. E. Goodrum, after being sick with pneumonia for some time, died Thursday morning. Everybody in the community sympathizes with these good people in this said loss. JANUARY 10, 1919

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Dr. J. M. King Instantly Killed by Southern Train: Dr. J. M. King, of Chewalla while standing near the railroad track at Cypress Tank to get on the east - bound train for his home Saturday night, was struck by the train, receiving a blow on his head causing instant death. His remains were brought to Selmer Sunday afternoon, and remained in the home of his daughter, wife to ..... (missing in original ) ...... Buried at the Mt. Pleasant cemetery in the west part of the county and laid beside his wife and several children. The funeral was conducted by Rev. J. W. Wallace. Dr. King has long been an active practitioner and was considered by his many patients a very successful doctor. He went always when called, never asking if the pay was in sight. He was prominently identified with the Masonic order. He leaves a frail widow and a little daughter, several grown children by his first wife, and a number of brothers and sister, to whom we, after long years of friendship for Dr. King, extend our sympathy. OBITUARY OF REV. T. E. FOUST : Rev. Thomas E. Foust was born on May 21, 1867, in Henry County, Tennessee and died December 31, 1918 at the home of Mrs. W. M. Lockman in Selmer. Bro. Foust professed saving faith in Christ when about 13 years old, and joined the M. E. Church, South at Shiloh, Manleyville circuit, Paris district. He was licensed to preach by Paris District Conference in 1902, and recommended by said Conference for admission into the Memphis Conference. He was admitted on trail at the Conference convening at Paris in 1902. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop W. W. Duncan at Mayfield, KY. in 1905. He was ordained by Elder Bishop E. R. Hendrix at Greenfield, Tenn. in 1907. He married to Miss Jessie Lockman, June 21, 1903. His devoted wife and six children now mourn their great loss. Bro. Foust was a devoted Christian. He was pure in heart, clean in life, and prudent in speech - letting his light shine every day. Hence he was a living epistle of Christ and many will rise up in that day and called him blessed. He was a loving husband and good father, commanding the respect and obedience of his children, enduring hardness as a good soldier of JESUS CHRIST, and was a model itinerant. He possessed conquering faith because he was able to remove all obstacles out of the path of life, and was ever able to overcome evil with good. He was able to come off more than conqueror over the last enemy. He could truly say, " Thanks be to GOD who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ". It was an inspiration to be with him and hear him talk - his radiant smile was the out - beaming of the spiritual life of a worthy citizens of the kingdom of heaven. While the outward man was fading day by day, the inner man was being renewed by the indwelling spirit. On January 1, 1919, at the home of his mother-in- law, Mrs. W. M. Lockman, funeral service were conducted by the pastor, assisted by three other ministers, Rev. T. F. and J. B. Maxedon and J. W. Wallace, and Presiding Elder B. J. Russell also took part in the services. His body was buried in Oak Hill cemetery. Through dead, he yet speaks. We expect to know him over there. WORD OF THANKS: We desire to express our heartfelt thanks to the friends who so kindly attended during the sickness and death of our little Vera Opel, and hope that afflictions may not come to their homes. Mr. and Mrs N. E. Goodrum and children.

JANUARY 17, 1919 J. E. Mitchell Commits Suicide: Tuesday morning J. E. Mitchell, aged about 55 years left his home an about 12 o'clock was found hanging by a rope to a tree in the woods near his home. The deceased had been mentally unbalanced for some time, and about four weeks ago was released from the Insane Hospital after being an inmate several months. He has been a leading citizen and farmer in the west part of the county, owning a fine farm and well to do. He leaves a second wife, the daughter of D. Baker. By a former wife he has several children and by his present wife several young children. He was a brother of Bruce Mitchell and son of Dr. J. W. Mitchell and a member of the large and leading Mitchell family.

JANUARY 31, 1919

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R. N. Varnell was born October 14, in Alabama. In 1875 he married Miss Alice Davis, of Alabama, after which they moved to Adamsville, Tenn., then to Selmer, and later to Jackson, Tenn., where he died at his home on East Chester Street, Jan. 19, 1919. He leaves a wife and eight children, Mrs. Ida White, and Mrs. Estella Butler of Jackson, Tenn., Mrs. Maggie White, and Mrs. Bessie Vinson of Stantonville, Tenn., also four sons, J. B., D. B. and Rev. J. N. Varnell of Jackson, Tenn. and Gavin D. Varnell who is with the American Expeditionary Force in France. Three brothers, W. T. Varnell of Adamsville, Tenn. and one sister Mrs. Mary E. Chambers of Alabama, and a host of friends who mourn his death. He was a kind husband and a loving father, to know him was to love him. Submitted by Fay Rogers.

FEBRUARY 7, 1919

Death of Sweet Christian Girl Causes Much Sorrow: After a week of intense suffering caused by peritonitis, Miss Swan Hoover died Sunday at mid -night at the home of her parents in Selmer. Her body was taken Monday and laid to rest in the Shiloh cemetery. Memorial services were held by the Selmer High School marching to the residence to view the remains. Rev. J. B. Maxedon held religious services at Shiloh church, and Prof. Robinson, principal of the Selmer High School, made a most forceful and appropriate address on the character of his former pupil. Miss Swan was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John O. Hoover, and was 18 years of age, and up until the illness which caused her death, was the very picture of health, lovely to look upon, and possessed of all the noble virtues which make sweet and precious girls. She was intelligent and industrious as well as comely, and was a great factor in the happiness of this well ordered home. We extend our sympathy to the family, through a great length of time will be required to heal the hearts which sorrow and affliction have broken, but the assurance of meeting this sweet girl again in that place where sickness nor death and separation can never enter should be of much consolation to them as the years roll on.

FEBRUARY 7, 1919

MRS. W. D. HAMM: After a short illness and much suffering, God saw fit to relieve Mrs. W. D. Hamm, and called her spirit home Saturday evening. Her remains were laid to rest Sunday afternoon in the Gravel Hill cemetery, Rev. Hardwick conducting the funeral service. FEBRUARY 28, 1919 Mrs. Predett Emmons, Cleveland and Clarence Springer were called to the bedside of their father, J. C. Springer, ten days ago on account of his serious illness. The former two have returned to their homes in Texas, the latter, whose home is in Oregon, will remain until his father's condition is more improved. Death of Brothers Near Finger: Attorney John E. Vires, of Selmer is to be greatly sympathized with in the death last week of two brothers, Chas G., aged 43 and Thos. J. Vires, age 38, who died from pneumonia brought about by flu. W. B. Smith passed away last week at his home near Stantonville, death being caused from the effects of flu. He was a Christian gentleman and his death is regretted by all. John H. Hurst, 42 years old , son of Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Hurst of Selmer, died Saturday at Waco, Texas, and the remains were buried there. His aged parents have the sympathy of their many friends in the death of their son.

MARCH 21, 1919

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A Very Sad Death: Mrs. Lessie Brasfield Haynes, wife of Shearon L. Haynes, died of uremic poisoning Sunday, March 16, at 4 p. m. She was stricken last Wednesday and medical aid could not check the poisonous disease. She suffered intensely but bore it with patience. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Brasfield, of Martin, were at her bedside from Thursday until the end came. Mrs. Haynes became a mother about ten days before the uremic attack, but had gotten along finely. The deceased and Shearon Haynes were married July 21, 1914. Two children were born. She was 21 years of age. She was a member of the Methodist church, but at the age of 15 years was baptized into the Christian church. She was so recently one of Selmer's most vivacious and attractive girls that we hardly realize her as a mother. She was beloved by all, and a most devoted mother and wife. Unusual ties seemed always to bind her and her father in life which seemed cruel to break. Funeral services were held at the Methodist church Monday afternoon at 1 o'clock, a very large crowd of relatives and friends attending the services which were conducted by the pastor, Rev. R. W. Newsom, assisted by Rev. Butler and Wallace. The floral offerings bespoke the kindness and love of her friends. The stricken husband has the most sincere sympathy of all in leaving him alone with two babies to tenderly care for. He is blessed however with his own parents and the parents of his sainted wife, who as far as love and attentive care can allay his grief, will be lavished upon him. The Independent extends its most sincere condolence. to the bereaved families. J C SPRINGER: J. C. Springer, one of our best citizens, died at the home Saturday morning at 4 o'clock, at the age of 66. His remains were laid to rest in the family cemetery Saturday evening. Rev. Carmack conducting the funeral services. He leaves a wife and ten children to mourn his loss, five of whom are married, four at home and one in the army, the youngest child is 15 years old. He has been a faithful member of the Missionary Baptist church for twenty - six years. His life has been honesty and upright, always holding up for the right. Many young men will long remembers his good advice and such men as he will be sadly missed. Our hearts go out in sympathy to the bereaved family, may each of them be made to realize that their loss is his eternal gain. Submitted by J. B. Huggins ANOTHER SAD DEATH: Tuesday night death relieved the sufferings of Mrs. Mary Ruth Ammons Madden, aged 20 years, at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. She was taken there about ten days ago and immediately operated on for appendicitis. Other complications set in, coupled with her weakened condition. Coming so soon after the death of Mrs. Shearon Haynes, and both being young mothers, brought a gloom to our entire community. All that the best medical skill, and attention of relatives, could not prevent the brittle thread from sundering. The deceased was the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. Y. Ammons, and grand - daughter of H. C. Gooch, and great - grand - daughter of Mrs. Edith Warren. She was married to Lieut. Arthur A. Madden more than a year ago. The attention of her young husband during her illness here and at the hospital together with that of her parents was most allectint, and their grief inconsolable. The funeral services conducted by Rev. Newsom and Houston at the Methodist church Thursday afternoon and burial in Oak Hill cemetery. Our sympathy goes out to the bereaved relatives. IN MEMORY OF MRS. L. K. PRATHER: Mrs. Louisa Kindall Prather, known by her home friends as " Aunt Kate ". was the daughter of Colonel James and Louisa Warren of McNairy County, Tennessee. She was born June 18, 18--. Was married to Dr. L. H. C. Prather, May 26, 1872. To this union two children were born, Odus and Jennie. Later they moved to Craighead County, Arkansas, and lived there about seven years, when the death angel visited the home and claimed as its victim Dr. Prather, her husband and the father of her children. Loving friends laid his remains in the cemetery at New Hope to rest until the resurrection morn. Mrs. Prather with her two children moved back to McNairy, county, Tennessee and lived with her father and mother until their death about the year 1900. She then moved to Duncan, then moved to Atoka with Capt. J. T. Jeans and family. Mrs. Jeans is her sister. When Mrs. Prather was 18 years of age she joined the Missionary Baptist church in McNairy county Tennessee. When she moved to Atoka in

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1901 she united with the Baptist church in this place. She attended church regularly for a while, but she became so afflicted she could not walk very far, so she had to give up attending church with many other pleasures she formerly enjoyed, but bore it cheerfully, looking forward to the time when her Master would take her home to rest. She was taken with the influenza and pneumonia and on January 7, 1919, her summons came and her soul passed peacefully to God who gave it.

Two days later, the Death Angel again visited this home and took an brother. Odus Prather, and he too went to his eternal home. He will be missed by his friends and his only sister, who is left alone on her journey to the end of life here, and to the beginning of the life in the great beyond. Their many friends mourn with her in this great sorrow. Submitted by a Friend MARCH 28, 1919 Mrs. J. E. Curry, wife of James E. Curry, died Sunday night at her home in Pocahontas after a short illness. Her remains were laid to rest Tuesday in the Wooten cemetery. Prof. I. N. Roland conducting the funeral services in the presence of a large crowd of sorrowing relatives and friends. Mrs. Curry was about 55 years of age and a woman who was loved by all. She was greatly devoted to her home and her husband and son, Oscar, were the personification of tenderness and kindness towards her, and to them we extend our sympathy in this trying ordeal which will surely come to all. Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His Saints.

APRIL 4, 1919

GRAVEL HILL ITEMS: Eron, the youngest child of Mrs. Lillie Haddock, was carried to Memphis last Wednesday and operated on for appendicitis. He was brought back a corpse Thursday night. He was laid to rest in Gravel Hill cemetery Friday evening, Rev. Carmack conducting the funeral service. A sadder burial was never witnessed here, not because of the death of the one child but because of the deep sympathy for the heartbroken mother, who it seems has had more than her share of trouble in her married life, having lost seven of her children and her husband who was killed by a runaway mule about nineteen months ago. Her oldest son died about six months ago in France. Her father also died last August. IN MEMORY OF RUFUS H. HILL On Sunday night, March 23, Rufus H. Hill departed this life at his home in the 8th district. He was 79 years old. I have known " Uncle " Rufus forty - eight years , having first met him in the Odd Fellow Hall when I took my first degree in that order. He impressed me as being a strong, upright character. The more I have been with him, the stronger I was impressed. He was brave, honest and truthful, the three principals which it take to make strong human characters. James 1: 26- 27: ‘If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.’ Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction and keep himself unspotted from the world. He certainly bridled his tongue. I once heard a prominent lawyer say that Rufus Hill was the only witness he ever heard that gave evidence that was against himself rather than not tell the truth. He has been a father to the fatherless, never having any children of his own, but has raised several orphan children. He has kept himself unspotted from the world. Revelations 20 : 12; And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. He was buried by the Masonic order, whose service are appropriates and sensible.

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Submitted by P. H. Thrasher. APRIL 11, 1919 FATAL AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT: Due E. Michie, aged 65 living near Stantonville, while returning late Saturday evening from Corinth in the car of Rufus Brown, and in which Sam Pounds and wife and Sam McKenzie were also riding, while making a short turn near Livington's the car was overturned owing to having tried to make the curve at such a rapid rate the car was traveling. Mr. Michie was thrown from the car, his head striking the gravel road, fracturing his skull and otherwise bruising him up. He never regained consciousness and lingered until Monday at 2 p. m. when death relived his suffering. His remains were buried Tuesday in McKenzie graveyard. This accident was clearly a case of reckless driving by a boy who perhaps was under the influence of liquor, as a portion of a bottle of whiskey was found in the car and his breath bore evidence of having been drinking. The deceased was a well known and prominent citizen, being a son of the late Rev. R. W. Michie. He was a devoted member of the Christian church. He was an uncle of Dr. R. M. Kendrick, and greatly attached to him. Surviving Mr. Michie are two sons, Ephraim, in France and Due of Memphis, and several grown daughters. We extend our sympathies to the bereaved relatives. APRIL 11, 1919 C. W. Barnes attended the bedside of his brother, James Barnes, in the 7th district, during his illness and death this week. This good man will be greatly missed in the community where he lived. J. L. BARNES DEAD: James L. Barnes, aged 78 years died at his home on Lick Creek, three miles from Adamsville, Monday, April 7,. He was taken down with an affliction of the kidneys only a week before his death. He was buried at Mars Hill Tuesday. He leaves a widow and two sons and one daughter, and is a brother of our fellow - townsman, C. W. Barnes. Perhaps no man ever lived to that age about whom it could be said he never had an enemy and was the enemy of no man. MAY 2, 1919 TROY AMMONS ANSWERS SUMMONS: D. Troy Ammons, age 40 years, died Friday at his home in Jackson, from an illness which was brought about by the influenza which attacked him last winter. He was reared in Bethel Springs, and twenty years ago began his railroad career as a telegrapher for the Mobile & Ohio Railroad Co., and for the past thirteen years has been a train dispatcher located at Jackson. He was a high - mined, honorable gentleman, popular with officials and employees, and his passing is a distinct lose to that band of men who have to do with the operation of the trains of a great railway system, and the train dispatchers with scarcely an exception, are as fine a set of men as one could find. Troy had reached almost the top in his profession. He is survived by his widow, two children, an aged mother, a brother, Jon. B. Ammons of Bethel Springs, and one sister, Mrs. Etta Huddleston, of Aberdeen, Miss., to whom we extend our condolence. SAD DEATH: Virgil Robinson, youngest son of Mrs. M. L. Robinson, died Wednesday night after an affliction of several months, which no medicine could relieve. He was paralyzed in his lower limbs, no hope of recovery being held out. He was a noble young boy, and as the youngest son was the idol of the family. Funeral services Thursday afternoon at the Methodist church, interment in Oak Hill cemetery. Out of respect, the Selmer High School closed for the day. The entire community joins with us in tendering our deep sympathy to the family.

MAY 8, 1919

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SUDDEN DEATH OF AGED WOMAN: Mrs. B. F. Darby, aged 67 years died Saturday morning at her home in Gravel Hill. She was taken suddenly ill Friday night, and as thought, an affliction of the heart, caused her sudden death. She was in her usual good health Friday. She was the wife of Dr. B. F. Darby, one of the best known citizens of the county. The deceased was the second wife of Dr. Darby, being married to him fifteen years ago in Alabama. She leaves five grown children by a former husband, four of whom were here at her funeral, which was conducted by Rev. J. B. Maxedon at the Gravel Hill cemetery Sunday afternoon in the presence of a large host of friends. The deceased was a Christian with noble traits of kindness and beloved by all. She was the staff of the venerable doctor, now in his 89th year, and very feeble, and his loss together with a severe spell of sickness from which he has not recovered, have affected his mind, and his friends are fearful his days are few. The condolences of the Independent go to the family.

MAY 23, 1919 A VERY SAD DEATH: Knox, the 11 year old son of Dr. and Mrs. John J. Abernathy of Action, last week accidentally stuck a splinter in his foot, and within a short time the slight wound became infected with tetanus, and despite all that the efforts of the best medical skill obtainable could do, death relieved the little fellow's suffering Sunday. His body was buried Monday at Shiloh, Elder J. A. Houston conducting the funeral. The death of this bright little boy has caused much sorrow, not only in the home, but in the entire community, and to the heartbroken family, we extend our heartfelt sympathy. J. H. O' Neal, 77 years old, died at his home in the 16th district Friday. He has been in delicate health for a number of years. For many years he was one of the leading business men and farmers of the county, and was held in high esteem by all. After an acquaintance of half a century, we can truthfully say that James Henry O' Neal was an upright, honorable man, and the type of citizen that is hard to replace. Peace to his ashes. MAY 30, 1919 DREW J. ARCHER ACQUITTED : The trail was on last week of Drew J. Archer, charged with murder in the first degree for the killing of E. F. Cross in 1918. The jury Friday morning returned a verdict of not guilty, " The proof showed that the two men were in Cross's field and some few words were passed about Archer's hogs getting in Cross’s field. Soon Cross applied the most vile epithet to Archer with all its blasphemous attachments and started towards Archer with a knife in his hand, when Mr. Archer threw his double - barrel shotgun on him and fired, killing Cross instantly. It was claimed Mr. Cross had put his knife in his pocket. Upon the character of the two men for peace and quietude this case turned. The character of the defendant was the best quiet citizenship while that of the deceased, by a score or more of his neighbors, showed him to be an over - bearing, bull - dozing character, who had a custom of bulling people, and being a large, muscular man, was able to have his way with ordinary men. On the other hand, Archer was rather a slender and delicate man, but as shown, he was " gritty. " Cross was an energetic man with large real estate holding which were heavily enthralled. The defense was ably presented by Abernathy & Abernathy. The verdict met the approval of everyone who heard the evidence, and the courtroom was crowded Thursday. Mr. J. M. Robertson, of Texas formerly of McNairy county, and a civil war veteran of Capt. Kemp's company, 6th ( Hurst's ) Tennessee Cavalry, spent Tuesday in Selmer meeting a few old comrades, and having dental work done. He is the father of Attorney John W. Robertson of Henderson, where he is spending a few weeks. He is 84 years old, but quite active. Jeff Kernodle, about 60 years of age, died at his home west of Bethel Springs Monday, of cancer, which he suffered with for several years. He was a good citizens and a member of the well - know Kernodle family of this county. Mrs. C. F. Harris and son, of Conroe, Texas, after visiting the former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. D.

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R. Hurst, and other relatives in McNairy county, left Monday night for their home. Wm. E. Sanders and son, Wm. Jr. and aunt Mrs. Nancy A. Sanders, of Joplin MO., are visiting relatives in Selmer. Mr. Sanders is a prominent citizen of Joplin, and trustee of the estate of his uncle, the late William Sanders, of Carteville, MO.

JULY 11, 1919 On Friday, July 25, 1919, at Mars Hill, the funeral of my son, Private Homer O' Neal Jr., CO I, 11th Infantry, 5th Division, who was reported killed November 7, 1918, near Brandeville, France, will be preached by Elder N. V. Parker and J. A. Miller. The services will continue over Saturday and Sunday. Submitted by B. H. O' Neal. JULY 18, 1919 Mrs. Alice Kennedy and baby, of Gulfport, Miss, are visiting her aunt, Mrs. Moselle Hamilton. She will be remembered as Miss Alice Anderson, grand - daughter of the late R. D. Anderson. IN LOVING MEMORY OF MINNIE VESTA HAMILTON: One year ago today, on July 13, 1918, the pain - racked and fever - stricken body of Minnie Vesta Hamilton was relived of its soul which went home to GOD. We were great friends, big pals, and we miss her in our home and everywhere we go. We were sad when the strong ties of friendship were broken in twain by the hand of death, but we find consolation in the thought that she is mingling with the angels of which she often dreamed. We will every cherish her memory and the beautiful life she lived here on earth will be an inspiration to lend us to a higher and better life. AUGUST 1, 1919 FUNERAL OF WISDOM ABERNATHY: The last offices of relatives and friends were here Friday in laying to rest the mortal remains of Wisdom Abernathy, whose tragic death happened last Wednesday. The funeral services were held at the residence of his sister, Mrs. J. H. Bigger, where he passed to the beyond. Elder J. A. Houston, assisted by Rev. E. H. Gooch and Rev. R. A. N. Wilson, conducted the services which were solemn, and witnessed by a large concourse of relatives and friends, a beautiful casket, with a great profusion of elaborately designed floral offerings, seemed to harmonize with the classic face as it like marble lay cold and clam. A long cortege of cars followed the coffin to Oak Hill cemetery where his body was laid in the bosom of mother earth, until the call of the trumpet for the dead to arise. The aged mother is consoled alone in the thought that GOD doeth all things well. The entire family have the sympathy of the whole community.

AUGUST 1, 1919 Mr. and Mrs. John C. Hill, of Houston, Texas, spent Monday night and Tuesday the guest of Mr. U. S. Alexander. Miss Demova Kirkman, of Centralia, ILL., the daughter of Rev. J. A. Kirkman, well known to many of our readers is visiting her aunt, Mrs. J. E. Maxedon. She is an accomplished young lady, 16 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Lett, of Dyer, were here to attend the funeral of the latter’s brothers, Wisdom Abernathy. They left Monday accompanied by their nephew, Matthew Bigger. Pack McCullar of Checotoh, OKLA., a former McNairian, is visiting his niece, Mrs. W. C. Moore. He will be remembered by the people at Chewalla where he was raised, being a brother of G. W. McCullar. His sister, Mrs. T. A. Ledbetter, is with him on his visit here.

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AUGUST 8, 1919 J. W. Houston and J. H. Strickland of Honey Grove, Texas, brother - in - law and nephew, respectively, of Gil Wilson, called in company with Mr. Wilson to see us Tuesday. They are both old McNairians and are well fixed in the Lone Star State. Each expressed a desire to become readers of the Independent, which was granted. AUGUST 15, 1919 S. L. Prince who moved from this community to Fannin county, Texas, 25 years ago, is back on a visit. The most noted change with him in the county is growth of the timber.

NEW HOPE: T. J. Estill, a very old man of this community, is afflicted with a cancer which has destroyed almost the entire left side of his face and is rapidly eating its way to his brain. The preacher made three visits to this old man's home during the recent meeting and he was finally converted, Baptized and joined the church. Mrs. W. H. Putman, her little daughter, Lillie Lee, and her son, Lieut. E. C. Putman, all of Chattanooga, visited in the home of Mrs. E. J. Hodges near Finger last week, Lieut. Putman was in Company " M ", Fourth In fantry, and Third Division. After the death of Capt. Lewis of this company, who lived at Memphis, Lieut. Putman commanded for some time. This famous organization is one of the historic ones of the earlier times in the military records of the county U. S. Grant was once Capt. of M Company, and Zachary Taylor was at one time Colonel of the Fourth Infantry, Lieut Putman was a typical soldier, and being well educated and a good historian before he volunteered into the service, he now possesses a wonderful amount of information covering every detail of the war. AUGUST 22, 1919 Mrs. Lonas Payne, with her little daughter Lorene, has returned to her home in Knoxville after spending the past five weeks with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John H. Steadman. AUGUST 29, 1919 On Aug 20. 1919, the death angel entered the home of Dr. J. E. Fortune and took from them their precious darling baby, age one year, six months and eleven days. Little Lester passed quietly away after a long and painful illness. We extend our sympathy to the family, though a great length of time will be required to heal the heart which sorrow and death have broken. But the assurance of meeting this sweet baby again in the place where we will never more part and so more separation can ever come. Lester was laid to rest in Oak Hill cemetery. Services were conducted by Elder J. A. Houston. Submitted by Hallie Fortune Mrs. Cora Parrish Haily, of Tampa, FLA., is visiting her sister - in - law, Mrs. Joe Gray and Mrs. W. H. Thompson. She has been at San Antonia visiting her brother Jordan Parish, a former citizen of Selmer. She reports that he is in bad health from the effects of flu and pneumonia last winter and can hardly speak above a whisper. W. H. McAlpin of Waxahaci, Texas, son of the well remembered Hugh McAlpin, and sister, Mrs. Nettie Middleton and two daughters are visiting McNairy relatives and in company with J. E. Dunaway made us a social call Tuesday. J. J. Williams and wife have moved to Sheffield, ALA. to make their home with their daughter, Mrs. Earl Styles. The aged couple were alone and hardly able to keep up their nice home near the college and concluded to rent it and live with their devoted daughter. Selmer regrets to lose two such good people and only wish them many years more of peace and happiness. SEPTEMBER 5, 1919

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DEATH OF EDGAR CHERRY: Edgar Cherry, aged 76, died at his home in Savannah Tuesday of last week after failing health for several months. He was known to many of our people. He was the only son of William Cherry and inherited large properties. The old homestead on the banks where Gen. Grant made his headquarters and left on April 5, 1862, for Pittsburg Landing, when the great battle was fought, Thousands have visited the noted and beautiful residence. ANOTHER KNIFE KILLING: A few days ago a man by the name of Howell stabbed a young man by the name of Brumley near Cypress. Brumley died from the wounds Monday. We have not the particulars, but from what we are creditably informed it was a cold blooded murder. Howell had not been arrested Monday, and nothing done towards enforcing the law. Have we no officers to arrest and prosecute such cases ? Since the above we hear Brumley is not dead and may live. Howell has been bound to grand jury in $ 1000 bond. Mrs. Eliza Tate, aged about 56, died last week. She was buried at Mt. Zion cemetery, Rev. J. W. Wallace officiating. She was an estimable woman and devoted Christian. She was the wife of J. F. Tate. A telephone message advises us that Dr. W. G. Petty, died at Hominy, Oklahoma, Wednesday and will be buried at Chambers cemetery Saturday. J. W. BLASINGAME: On Monday morning, Sept 3, 1919, James W. Blasingame passed to his reward, without warning to family or friends. His remains were laid to rest in Ramer cemetery Thursday afternoon about 3:00 o'clock, the writer, assisted by Rev. James Hanner, conducted the funeral. More relatives and friends the writer has ever seen at a funeral, and every heart seemed to thorn at the solemnity the occasion. Brother Blasingame was born in Lawrence county on Nov. 11, 1847. He professed faith in Christ in early manhood and united with New Hope Missionary Baptist church near Pocahontas. He was married to Miss Matilda Pipkin on Feb 22, 1871. At the time Cypress Creek Baptist church ( near Ramer ) was organized he was present and was one of those who constituted the organization. He remained a member of this church in full fellowship until God was pleased to call him to his reward. He is said to have been a good, kind husband and loving father, and much devoted to his family. Brother Blasingame leaves a wife and seven children, and many friends to mourn his loss. In his death we feel that, the church has lost a stay, the community one of its best citizens, and the family a husband and father whose place can never be filled. Brother Blasingame, like all of us, was not perfect here, but he has gone to that home where there are no imperfections. May his beloved and bereaved wife and children ever follow the same loving Savior in which he trusted, and when they come to cross over the river be greeted by him who went before them, surrounded by angels to welcome them home. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to all the relatives J. S.Gooch. C. O. and E. H. Crocker, two very prosperous farmers of Texas, were visiting their nephews, J. M. and A. H. Crocker at Cypress, this being the first time the former visited Tennessee in about 20 years. SEPTEMBER 19, 1919 WINDOL HOOPER: On Sunday morning, Sept. 14, 1919, the writer preached the funeral of Bro. Windol Hooper, at Mt. Gilead church, a large crowd attending the service. In the afternoon the W. O. W. unveiled the monument erected to the memory of this worthy comrade. The ceremony was a very solemn and impressive one. Bro. Windol Hooper was the only son of Bro. L. O. and Mrs. Hooper. He was born in McNairy county July 9, 1892, he married Miss Lockie Mitchell March 24, 1914, professed faith in Christ and united with Mt. Gilead Baptist church in August, 1918 and departed this life Nov. 2, 1918. He leaves a wife and two small children, a father, two sisters, with many other relatives and friends to mourn his loss. Bro. Hooper was a fine specimen of young manhood, beloved by all who knew him. May his many unsaved friends prepare for death as he did, and receive as abundant entrance into that blessed

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home where parting never comes. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his bereaved widow their children, his father and sisters, with his many friends. May God grant them all a part in that glad reunion at the coming of our gracious Lord. His Personal Friend, J. G. Gooch. MRS ELIZA TATE: The subject of this sketch, Mrs. Eliza Tate, was born Dec. 18, 1863, and was married to J. F. Tate Dec 22, 1881. To this union was born five children, two of them proceeded her to a better world. Mrs Tate died on April 19, 1919, after an illness of four weeks, Mrs. Tate's death the church in which she lived lost one of its most faithful members, and Mrs. Tate a kind and loving wife and the children a true and affectionate and loving wife and the children a true and affectionate mother. The neighborhood in which she lived has sustained a great loss. She was indeed an Angel of Mercy to the sick. We would say to the children, not to weep, for some sweet day you will meet your precious mother again, and to Mr. Tate, don't weep as those that have no hope, he faithful awhile longer and you will some day meet the one that through so many years has shared your joy and sorrows. After an impressive burial service by Rev. Wallace of Selmer, her remains were laid to rest in the Mt. Zion cemetery. Written by one who knew her. (Note: I believe this would be Mr Zion Cemetery on Hwy 142. Nkennedy)

OCTOBER 10, 1919

MRS MARTHA SOUTH: After a long illness Mrs. Martha South died at home of her daughter, Mrs. Dock Armstrong last Thursday. Her remains were interred in the Gravel Hill cemetery Friday, Rev. Chenault conducting the funeral service. WINNIE COLE: Winnie Cole ( col ) aged 64 years, died at her home in Selmer, Monday, Oct 6, 1919 and was buried in Prospect cemetery Tuesday at 4:00 p. m. A large course of colored people attended her funeral. A number of the best families sent flowers to her home. She was rather a remarkable colored woman, being rather aristocratic and dignified. She had shown kindness to many of the white families in time of sickness. She had been very frail for years, and for several weeks was simply lingering, at the end of much suffering as a nervous wreck. She leaves Ed Cole as her only child. OCTOBER 17,1919 MISS BETHA MILSTEAD: After a few days of intense suffering, Miss Bertha Milstead died Sunday at 10:00 o'clock a.m. Bertha's death was a shock even to her near chums, who didn't hear of her death until she was buried. Her body was laid to rest Monday in the Neathery cemetery, Bro. J. A. Houston held services. Bertha was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Milstead and about 12 years of age, and until the illness which caused her death, was the picture of health, lovely to look upon and possessed of all virtues which make sweet and precious girls. She was intelligent and loved by all, and was a great factor in the happiness in this well - ordered home. We extend our sympathy to the family. Though a great length of time will be required to heal the hearts which sorrow and affliction have broken, this should be a warding to her many young friends.

C S Hurst: C. S. Hurst died Tuesday at his home in North part of the county. He was about 78 years of age. He had in early life led a rather eventful career, but later was a good citizen. DEATH OF AN OLD CITIZEN: William A. Reeder, aged 77 years, died at his home in Selmer Saturday, October 18, 1919, and was buried in Oak Hill cemetery Sunday afternoon, Rev. J. A. Houston, assisted by Rev. J. W. Wallace, conducted at the home religious exercises. A large crowd gathered at the home and also at the cemetery. Mr. Reeder had been an invalid and confined to his bed and room for several months. He was afflicted with palsy for several years. He died very unexpectedly, as he was apparently as well as usual, and died without a moment’s premonition. He was a Confederate Veteran serving through the war with Gen. Forrest.

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He leaves a wife and one son and two grand children. He was a good citizen. He was not a member of any church, but to Rev. Wallace had expressed a hope for his future condition.

OCTOBER 31, 1919 LETTIE MARIE ESTES: Again the death angel has taken from our midst one of our dear family, on Saturday afternoon about 4:20, Oct. 18, 1919, dear Lettie Marie passed quietly through the valley of death to a brighter home where angels stood beckoning her to come. Lettie was born July 27, 1915. She was the baby child of Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Estes, who have lived most of their life in McNairy county. The family who survive are Roy and Freeman, her brothers, and her father and mother. She was just blooming and blossoming into young childhood. It seem hard for us to part with her, her sweet voice cannot be heard on this earth again, but she will remain in the memory of those who loved her. She had not passed many milestone along the journey of life, but it was God’s will to call her home. May this be a lesson to all of us, that life is so uncertain yet death must surely come. We must die in order to live again. This life is only a shadow compared with that one that lies beyond. Rev. J. A. Houston made an impressive talk at the funeral which was conducted at Oak Hill cemetery, where the remains were laid to rest. B MCHUGHES: B. McHughes, of Gravel Hill died Saturday night and was buried Sunday afternoon. He leaves a wife and several small children. Brother Wallace conducted the funeral services. NOVEMBER 7, 1919 DEATH OF ANOTHER OLD CITIZEN - JOHN FRANK DILLON: John Frank Dillon aged 70 years 11 months and ten days died at the home of his son Carl Saturday Nov. 1 of pneumonia. He was sick only a few days. He was buried at Buena Vista cemetery Sunday afternoon. Rev. Newsom and Maxedon officiating. Frank Dillon as he was familiarly called, was a big hearted, industrious man. He had made his home with his son Carl for the last three years. The following children survive him, Mrs. Mary Moore, Mrs. Emma Shelton, Mrs. Zana Cheshire, Mrs. Lola Wilson, John E. Dillon, Mrs. Pearl Hester, Mrs. Minnie Hester, Carl B. Dillon, Grover C. Dillon, Mrs. Ora Tull, Miss Cordia Dillon. CHARLES MIDDLETON - Died-- Oct. 23, 1919 at his home east of Selmer: Charles Middleton, aged about 55 years, of pneumonia, following two operations for appendicitis. He never was married and his two aged aunts raised him, and he lived during his entire life with them. He was a hard working honest man. He leaves many friends.

NOVEMBER 14, 1919 Miss Ida Whitaker attended church at Pebble Hill Sunday. Mr. Will Whitaker one of our most successful farmers made a business trip to Corinth Saturday.

DECEMBER 5, 1919 J. C. Springer and wife of Miami, Tex., Mrs. R. T. Emmons and M. D. Huggins of Honey Grove, Tex. are spending a few days here on account of the illness of their mother and sister, the widow of J. C. Springer, who had a light stroke of apoplexy two weeks ago. We are glad to report her condition much improved. MRS LUTHER ERWIN: Mrs. Luther Erwin, daughter of J. B. Chenault, who has been confined to her room for a long time with tuberculosis, died Saturday and was buried in the Gravel Hill cemetery Sunday afternoon. DECEMBER 12, 1919

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MRS M C ANDERSON: Mrs. M. C. Anderson died at her home here after an illness of several days. She was a good, Christian woman and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. She leaves three sons, R. H., Joe and Robert and several grand children. Funeral services were conducted Saturday by Arch Houston of Selmer, with interment at Mt. Vernon cemetery. DECEMBER 19, 1919 ANDERSON INFANT DIES: T. L. Anderson and wife have the sympathy of their friends in the loss of their three weeks old infant which died last Thursday. Relatives here have received news of the serious condition of Mrs. J. W. Warren, who recently under went an operation at El Rena, Okla. Mrs. Warren is the daughter of J. R. Hamm, Sr. and she and her husband are well known in this county where they were reared, and have many friends who will learn with regret of her illness. DECEMBER 25, 1919

Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Oliver, of Selmer were here Monday to attend the funeral of their grand - daughter, Mrs. Hayes, who died in a hospital at Memphis, following an operation. Her remains came Monday and interred in the Mt. Vernon cemetery, Rev. J. A. Houston, of Selmer conducting the services. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Oliver and formerly resided here and has many friends to hear of her death. The family have the sympathy of the community in their bereavement. John Dillon and family left Saturday for Des Arc, Ark. where they will make their home. (NOTE: THE ABSTRACTS FROM THE 1908 AND 1919 NEWSPAPERS WAS DONE BY BARBARA GUESS SEVERAL YEARS AGO. BARBARA AND HER HUSBAND MOVED TO MCNAIRY COUNTY WHEN THEY RETIRED ABOUT 1990. SHE WAS INVOLVED IN STARTING THE MCNAIRY COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY AND DID QUITE A BIT OF MCNAIRY HISTORY RESEARCH, ALTHOUGH SHE HAD NO CONNECTION TO THIS COUNTY. BARBARA DIED IN MAY 1995 AND WAS GREATLY MISSED BY THOSE THAT KNEW HER. ) ╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫╫

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES Written during or about the Removal of the Courthouse from Purdy

FRIENDS OF REMOVAL AT FALCON - 1881

July 1881. According to the call made in the Independent last week, quite a large number of representative men met at Falcon last Tuesday for the purpose of organizing a campaign on the county seat question. Honorable A. W. Stovall called the meeting to order and in a concise manner presented the object of the meeting. Col James Warren was elected Chairman and made a short stirring speech. J. T. Barnhill was elected Secretary. Quite a number made short speeches in presenting their views upon the plan to be adopted. It was universally agreed to make a most vigorous, thorough and determined campaign and spare nothing in carrying the election by such an overwhelming vote that the question would never come up again. The

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enthusiasm manifested by everybody showed that the removal cause was not dead, but like a lion when aroused from slumber, is ferocious and ready for the fight. Upon motion a committee of thirteen to be known as the "County Executive Committee" were selected one by one, as follows: A.W. Stovall, J .L. Smith, J. L. Jeans, S.L. Warren, Dr D. Barry, W.C. Wilson, J.W. Pace, R.W. Tatum, J.W. Purviance, J.J. Horn, Dr W.E. Atkins, John Fisher and Wm McCullar. This committee will have general supervision of the canvass of the entire county. The following committees for each civil district were appointed as follows:

1 John Gilmer, J.L.W. Boatman and M. M .Demming. 2 W Maxedon, H.A. Hunter, W.H.H. Gillespie 3 J.H. Mitchell, W.W. Massey, W.N. Maness 4 A.D. Barrett, W.F. Rowsey and W.B. Skinner 5 (Gravel Hill): J.L. Huggins, J.W. Emmons, Cage Farris (Ramer) J.M. Hamm, Ben

Darby, Sam Tucker (Chewalla) J.T. Barnhill, J.C. Ijames and J.W. Walker 6 R.D. Anderson, W.H. Stone, Dr. L.H.C. Prather 7 J.P. Epps, Joseph Walker, H.M. Hendrix 8 E.J. Hodges, W.B. Malone, Beverly Roberson 9 Sam Chambers, W.J. Sutton, V.A. Sanders 10 Jack Veal, Alex Romine, J.A. McKenzie 11 Hugh Paterson, W.J. Massengill, R.D. Morris 12 W.R. Hardin, Nick Smith, S.D. Anderson 13 Richard Springer, J.M. Huggins, R.W. Hockaday 14 Joseph Tillman, W.L. Patterson, W.I. Allen 15 P.H. Thrasher, J.T. Warren, C.A. Combs 16 L.H. Johnson, J.W. Sipes, P.A. Blakely 17 John Aldridge, John Ivy, W.A. Smith

It is expected these committees will do active service, in circulating documents, seeing each other and doing the work necessary in the districts; and particularly on election day, to see that every man has opportunity to get to the polls. The Independent and Sun were requested to publish the proceedings of the meetings. The executive Committee met and organized by electing Hon. A.W. Stovall, Chairman and Dr. W.E. Atkins, Secretary. Several sub-committees were appointed, among others - J.W. Pace, W.C. Wilson and J.W. Purviance on preparing addresses and printing the same. W.C. Wilson, R.W. Tatum, J.J. Horn and J.L. Smith on finance. J.W. Purviance, J.W. Pace and Dr. D. Barry on arrangement of appointments and publication of the same. Much other preliminary work was done by the committee which pointed to a thorough and energetic committee. July 5, 1881 McNairy County Independent ELECTION NOTICE - 1881 In pursuance of an order of the County Court of McNairy County, made at its July term 1881 I will on Thursday, August 18th 1881 open and hold an election at the various voting places in McNairy County, Tennessee; for the purpose of ascertaining if the people of said county desire Removal of the County Seat from its present location. J. R. Stovall, Sheriff - July 5, 1881 McNairy County Independent reprinted Hill Topper Vol 1 - No 2

Two letters - 1886

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In the June 18, 1886 edition of the McNairy County Independent appeared the following two letters that express sentiment of that time during the struggle between Purdy, Bethel Springs and Falcon. (1) Removal. Let it be the watchword until the work is accomplished, if it takes twenty- five years and another lawsuit. In order that we be successful in our efforts, it is highly important that we have perfect harmony in the ranks which we doubtless we will have. Let the fact be ascertained which of the two points, Falcon or Bethel is the choice of the majority of the voters of the county, and then let every man prepare his ballot for that place regardless of everything else. While we are naturally for Falcon and earnestly believe it is the choice of a large majority of our citizens, never-the-less we are willing to work for Bethel if it should be chosen, with the same degree of earnestness that the Hon. A. W. Stovall and others have worked for Falcon and like they will doubtless do again if Falcon is chosen as the place to defeat Purdy in the next election. We believe that the amount of money which has already been expended by the citizens of Falcon should have something to do in giving her the preference as it will be a total loss to them, provided they should fail to get the county seat; but let us be willing that a majority rule in this matter with perfect harmony and an iron resolution. Let us strive to accomplish the work. New Bethel, Tenn June 16, 1888 (2) At last the long contested courthouse suit has come to an end and excitement to a great extent has ceased, though many are still rejoicing over the decision of the Supreme Court; and still more are sorrowing because they have been dealt the rights and immunities, as guaranteed unto them. Fellow citizens, if it is possible that we shall let a few outlaws, who are meandering around in the extreme northern portion of the county rule the whole "shebang" without the consent of the people? I, for one peak boldly and defiantly, not so my Lord! Oh!- what gloomy prospects for peace and civilization, Now a continual uproar and harangue throughout the length and breath of our county, and will continue so until the courthouse is nearer the center of the county, and on the Railroad. Purdy's brightest and happiest days are past and gone, she has clothed her head with a mighty scorn. Her streets are filled with filth, everlasting ruin and final destruction is fast approaching her beleaguered (?) walks. Adversity and misfortunes has stopped up her road to success. Her once rosy cheeks are fading, sad thoughts for her. Why? Because she has acted unfair with the beloved citizens of McNairy. I hope you'll not hold many courts (Per-day) Purdy. Ramer, Tenn June 14, 1886

REUNION OF OLD SETTLERS - HELD AT PURDY

SEPTEMBER 16, 1897 Terry Abernathy's Welcome Address at Purdy Reunion

The long looked for reunion of former citizens of Purdy and students of Purdy Institute are here and we are glad. The contemplation of this event has been no less pleasurable to me than its culmination is melancholy. With gladness do I greet you all, but when I realize that our sojourn here is but a few hours duration, I am almost overwhelmed with sorrow. O Memory! What precious jewels are stored away in their sacred archives. Old Purdy is the typical "Sweet Auburn," loveliest village of the plain. Today the empty houses, the vacant lots, the old mulberry shade trees, stand as sad mourners at the funeral of poor old Purdy whose history is the record of a proud city, the home of a proud people. To the passer-by it would seem like a thrust at his credulity to recite the history of Purdy and ask him to believe it. To tell him that splendid mansions once opened their windows to welcome the blushing smiles of rosy morning into the bed chambers of a happy household would only augment the intensity of

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his disbelief. But how true it is, we all know. Chimneys standing sublimely alone serve as mementoes of better days. Where the cotton blooms today, we once strolled amid vernal luxuriance and with our careful hands plucked flowers whose petals were gorged with their droughts of midnight dew. Where the green corn waves, and the grasshopper hides and sings, there flourished the magnolia upon whose topmost bough the sweet singing mocking bird would plant his orchestra and sing so sweetly that to think of his songs makes us sad. When the sun reached his rosy fingers over the black shoulders of night and gently drew aside the purple curtain to send the messengers of morning with golden lances of sunlight to defend the broad empire of Day, no grander housetops were gilded than Purdy's cottage homes. And when the gentle moon mounted her royal chariot, rolling upon silver wheels across the nebulous regions of the great ethereal highway, smiling in the upturned faces of a benighted world, and command her army of a million stars whose martial tread drove into dark captivity the black host of night, and planted her glittering banners upon the camping ground of retreating day, no grander, happier people ever slept and dreamed than were Purdy's citizens in the years of long ago. But these citizens, many of them, have been given homes in the city of the dead. Their bodies have long since tired, their eyes have been gently closed in that long sleep, their hands have been peacefully folded across a painless breast and dressed in the pale winding sheet of death, they now slumber in their tombs. The question naturally arises, where are the people who lived in Purdy? Many are here today, many are the best citizen of other towns, and ah, the saddest part of my answer is that many have had their names carved upon the monumental shafts whose cold, marble forms guards with solemn watch their lonely graves, while the tall, stately pine trees mean a pitiful threnody over their sleeping dust. Yes, in yonder grave-yard, upon faultless marble may be seen the names of many grand men and women who figured in the history of Purdy. They have gone on before to increase the throng and tell them that others are standing on the brink of the river waiting, waiting, patiently waiting for the shining shallop to moor into the harbor of death and upon the crested billows of that rolling river, bear them grandly into the portals of everlasting life. We are the remnant. I am proud to have the privilege of mixing with my friends and old school mates. This occasion carries me back to the time when a bare-footed boy, I attended school in the old college to my father. I see my class-mates as they were then. O what happy days they were! The sweet, flaxen-haired, bare-footed little girl is today a charming, cultured and beautiful woman. The bright-eyed, mischievous boy is today a settled, steady man. Our teacher still lives, the old college still stands; but we sadly realize that our school days are over. My fondest hope is that we formed characters that win us success in life, made us proud of one another, and glad that we were once students of the old Purdy Institute. I wish I might talk longer, for the sweetest memories of my life cluster about the college campus and the red hills of dear old Purdy. The music of the glassy streams as they wind in beautiful curves down little valleys, make me want to tell you about Purdy. The memory of her stalwart sons, who went forth in times of bloody war, and the history of her sweet women whose pure lives were consecrated to their homes and the South, fill me with pride and patriotic devotion. I love Purdy and Purdy citizens whoever and wherever they may be, I love every spot of earth, every blade of grass that is kissed by the sweet, little dew-drop as it wanders from the reservoirs of the skies, every flower that blushes when the rosy hands of morning caresses it with the wooing sunbeams of heaven, every singing bird as he cleaves the ethereal blue with his glossy pinions to greet the rolling splendor of the sun, every gentle breeze that fans the verdant covering of the long-buried dead, every old mulberry and sycamore tree, beneath whose whispering leaves I sat when a boy and dreamed of the great future and what I would do when I reached the years of manhood. I love the old church, the musical

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tones of whose grand old bell, called me to Sunday School and preaching for so many long years, I love old Purdy college, within whose sacred walls the sweetest songs have been sung, and the grandest lessons taught, and upon whose green campus the happiest boys and girls played such grand games that the memories of those happy days will linger as long as memory lasts. Yes, I love Purdy because it is the home of my happy childhood and when I betake myself to the solitude of her rising hill, I love to know that the grandest moments were lived in the once beautiful town of dear old Purdy. This reunion is a grand affair. It is a fitting manner of bringing us all together to demonstrate our mutual love and pay possibly the last tribute of respect to this grand old town. The probabilities are that we will never enjoy another opportunity of meeting under such happy circumstances. If we never shall, may we all meet some time in one grand reunion in heaven. Wouldn't it be delightful if all the old citizens of Purdy and students of Purdy Institute could meet in the great chapel hall of heaven? There rise in one grand convocation to receive the welcome plaudit of "well done!" Then seating ourselves in the great operatic chariots of heaven, see the recording angel step upon the golden rostrum and lay down the book of life and call the roll of judgement. Wouldn't it be grand to know that the roll would be called from top to bottom and not one student of Purdy Institute be marked absent? Then the great pipe organ of eternity would begin to play. The million voiced choir of heaven would roll out its pealing anthems as we mingled our voices in singing our old school song, "We'll meet to part no more." In conclusion, allow me to welcome you, one and all and may our meeting be the source of unbounded pleasure. That the occasion should be a success and that we shall enjoy the pleasure of many like occasions are wishes which I cherish with the fondest hopes. Delivered at the Purdy Reunion 1897 Reprinted McNairy County Independent Appeal, Nov 18, 1938 Reunion Held at Purdy - September 16, 1897

A. W. Stovall - Responds to Welcome Address

From very many sections of our county we have to-day gathered to loiter amid the haunts of the long ago, to revive memories that are hallowed by age, sweetened by experience, and sanctified by reflections, to meet face to face with those whom a kind providence in infinite wisdom permitted to have a home in the beautiful historic town of Purdy, a town around which cluster touching reminiscences of other and better days, a town on which the vicissitudes of time and circumstances have laid a heavy hand, one that even amid her ruins and desolation is picturesque and enchanting.

What memories well up in the hearts of those of us who saw Purdy in the zenith of her glory. She was the peer of the proudest, and no town of any size or station ranked her in the intelligence of her men or the virtue of her women. About forty-three years ago I first saw Purdy. I came there a boy with my parents from Moss Creek, in this county, where I first beheld the light of day. I had then no recollection of ever having seen a brick chimney or a white house. The rippling waters, the primeval forest the fruitful and undulating soil of that section at that early day prepared me to appreciate life in this godly land. Purdy was then about thirty years old. Her beautiful streets, costly houses, rich gardens, aromatic flowers, brave men and women, pretty girls and playful boys, presented to me a picture of perfection in a town that all the progress of the age, the allurements of fashion, symmetry, architecture, have not produced its equal or its like. At that time I had never had a fight, worn no stone bruises, didn't know how to "wrestle or box." Had never played leapfrog or town ball, never gone with a girl to a party, had never flown a kite nor

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played snowball. All these things I learned at Purdy. I took my first lesson in fighting with my old friend Jeff Walker, who, thanks to a kind providence, is in attendance today. This early lesson was given the first trip I made down to town with John D. Gullett, whom providence permits to dispense sunshine to his neighbors in an adjoining county. I have always felt under lasting obligations to those boys for the early lesson they gave me, for, to know how to fight, is a necessary accomplishment for any country boys who moves to town. God bless the boys who lived in Purdy forty years ago. The memory of their association is to me sacredly sweet, and in recalling those early days, we are wont to enquire of the whereabouts of those early associates. Where are the boys of 1857? Many of them are gray-haired grandsires, many of them are living in other sections and in other states, and many, very many sleep in the silent tomb of our fathers. Could we call the roll of the schools taught by McMohon, Stribbling, Dudley, Wm McCowatt or by Alva Johnson and B. H. Malone, how many where would be missing from our ranks. We would call in vain for my good brother, Dave Stovall, for Ben Walker, Campbell Moore, Tab Crump, Tab Combs, Charley Crump, Andy Sanders, Ned Sanders, James Johnson, John Johnson, Polk Gullett, Ben McCann, Campbell Hurst, Bascom Riggs, Frank Holeman, Billie Kincaid, George Chambers, Booker Swaim, John Kerr, and many, very many others. In all this vast assemblage there is scarcely a tithe of the school boys of that day present. Let us, on this happy, this joyous occasion, hope that their immortal souls are having a happy reunion of Purdy spirits around the great white throne. Retrospective reminiscence has charms to those who have passed the meridian of life which are unknown to the younger generation. One of the greatest charms of old age is to look backward and view with pride the slow receding years of the misty past. And though our paths may have been well strewn with sorrows to leaven our many joys, we love to live the life over again in fond retrospection and pleasant memories. A few days ago I spent an afternoon with my old fiend, Isaac W. Nash, and looked over copies of the West Tennessee Argus and Banner, newspapers published by him in 1867-8-9 and 1860. What a pleasure it is to look over Purdy papers forty years old. Mr. Nash is deserving the thanks of all lover of old times for their careful preservation. I read the directories of the Masonic and Temperance societies of Purdy and vicinity of 1858. The Masonic Lodge No 132, that met upstairs at the brick church in 1858 was officered by: James F. McKinley, worshipful master; I. F. Huddleston, senior warden; R. W. Pool, junior warden; B. R. Harris, secretary; P. Cates, treasurer; James Warren, senior deacon; Arch Houston, junior deacon; and W. H. Tacker, Tyler. Not a single one of them but has crossed to the unknown shore. The Independent Templers official directory of 1858, which met at Purdy, showed the names of Dr. Daniel Barr, president; I. W. Nash, secretary; C. F. Sawyer, vice president; T. M. Bell, secretary; R. F. Stribbing, conductor; B. F. Joplin, assistant conductor, R. M. Doolin, inside guard and S. P. Sanders, outside guard. Only three of these are living, one in Mississippi, and one in Tennessee, who is with us today. The Independent Temperate Brothers who met at W. G. Wilson's, four and one half miles northwest of Purdy, in 1858, were officered as follows: J. W. Wilson, president; W. C. Wilson, assistant president; R.P.C. King, vice president; Ben Walker, recording secretary; I. F. Stovall, conductor; J. S. Barrum, chaplain. But a single one of this company survives who is with us today. The first fair was held at Purdy, October 13, 14, 15, 1856. On February 14, 1857, a call was made in the Argus for all favorable to the motion of a college to meet at W. S. Wisdom's counting room February 18, 1857. April 18, 1857, was set apart to locate the college. The first school opened at the brick college January 17, 1859.

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The Board of Trustee and Faculty of the school at its opening were as follows: Board of Trustees- W. S. Wisdom, president; Macklin Cross, secretary; A. R. Hall, treasurer; J. F. McKinley, Alfred Moore, D. M. McKinzie, F. P. Duke, C. C. Lewter, W. C. Kendel. Faculty - Rev. A. M. Johnson, president; James P. Baldridge, Professor of Languages. Of the board and faculty, consisting of eleven men as mentioned in the prospectus, not a single one survives. They have crossed to the other shore. Peace to their ashes. Prof. B. H. Malone, whose presence here today lends interests to the occasion, was Professor of Ancient Languages subsequent to the date of the publication of the prospectus, and Professor Baldridge of Mathematics. The West Tennessee Argus suspended publication May 14, 1859. The Whig-Banner issued the first number April 22, 1859. November 20, 1858 the Mobile and Ohio Railroad is reported finished from the Mississippi river to Jackson and doubts expressed as to whether the rails would ever be laid through McNairy County. It is a source of very great pleasure to revisit the scenes of my early boyhood. So it is with many others here on this occasion. Today I saw where I used to build circus tents with strings and newspapers, where I played marbles, ran foot races, played town ball, "base," bull pen and jumped "half-hammon," where I went to school, where I first learned that girls were pretty, where my youthful heart beat faster than watch ticks and where I first earned a five cent piece. Thank God for the faculty of memory. It carries me back to the sweet days of childhood. It permits us to review the faces and join in the laughs of long gone friends. We thus see our early struggles, our triumphs and our failures. By the aid of blessed memory we can see the lovely forms and all but hear the cheerful voices and merry laughter of early associates. God bless the reunion! May those who attend be the better for it. It does me good to be with you, to shake the hands of friends. (God bless the one who invented hand-shaking) to join with tears the sorrowful, to look backward with the aged and onward with the young and bid them God speed in their hopes and ambitions. Delivered at Purdy Reunion 1897- reprinted November 18, 1938. McNairy County Independent Appeal

Prominent Lawyer and the First Mayor of Selmer - H. P. Wood

Agitation for the removal of the County Seat from Purdy to some point on the M &

O Railroad began soon after the railroad was built through the county and missed Purdy. Elections were held but failed to affect removal. The Courthouse at Purdy was burned in March 1881. Removalists were strong in the hope that removal to the railroad could now be effected before the courthouse could be rebuilt. Other elections for removal were held and bitter litigation arose over the vote which removalist claimed located the County Seat in Falcon. By order of the Quarterly Court the county offices and records were moved to Falcon and remained there for several months but under the final decree of the Supreme Court in the case of Braden vs Stumph the records and offices were returned to Purdy. But the question was not settled and soon agitation was renewed and feelings were bitter between the Removalists and the Anti- Removalists. Some of the leading citizens who had seen so much bad feeling from the continued struggle for removal of the county seat worked up a plan to build a Courthouse on the railroad and donate it so the county when the county seat should be legally located at the town or point selected. Finally an organization was accomplished and a charter obtained to incorporate a stock company. The charter was granted by the Secretary of State and registered at Nashville on July 6, 1889. P.H. Thrasher then owned the site where the town is located and J.W. Purviance owned a site

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about two miles north and each offered to donate the necessary land for a town site and the location of the public buildings. Their respective offers were submitted to the promoters of the stock company idea, before the charter was obtained and the location offered by Mr. Thrasher was selected as the preferred site and after this election the charter was obtained. But as Mr. Thrasher's site had been selected and he would be expected to deed the land to the proposed Incorporation, his name was used in the application for the charter, but every step was perfectly agreeable to Mr. Thrasher and also Mr. Purviance. The Incorporators who made the application and obtained the charter were the following citizens of the county: R.D. Anderson, John T. Warren, Samuel Chambers, A. B. Hamm, H.L.W. Lancaster, H.P. Wood, and J.W. Purviance. All promoters are now dead except H.P. Wood, author of this article. This is the order in which the names appear on the original application and charter, registered in Deed Book T, pages 313-316 in Register's Office at Selmer. Deed was made by Mr. Thrasher conveying 50 acres of land for the town site, the company organized and the $10,000 stock was taken by citizens of the county. The town site was surveyed by Mr. Campbell, a civil engineer of Jackson, Tenn. The place for the courthouse and jail and all streets and alleys were properly marked on the plat, lots staked off and numbered and everything prepared for sale of lots. The plat of the town as surveyed was recorded by deed, registered in Deed Book G, pages 31 to 33 on December 15, 1890. An election was again ordered for removal, this time for removal to Selmer. The vote was taken on July 26, 1890 and on April 6, 1881, the Quarterly Court ordered the records and offices of the county moved to Selmer and the court adjourned on that day to meet on Tuesday, April 7, 1891 at Selmer. G. D. McBee and other citizens of Purdy procured attorneys and filed a bill to enjoin the removal to Selmer, but the injunction came too late, removal was already accomplished and the bill was finally dismissed on demurrer, and all the courts of the county have been held at Selmer since April 6, 1891. Great interest was created throughout the county and lots were in great demand in the new town. The first public sale of lots was held on September 10, 1890 and after that several others sales were held. The contract for the building of the courthouse was awarded to W.D. Breckenridge, of Florence, Alabama at the price of $10,000 and the contractor's bond accept on February 19,1891. Work went forward and on June 16, 1891, the formal ceremonies of laying the corner stone were held at Selmer. A large concourse of people were in attendance, there was music, speaking and Masonic ceremonies in laying and placing the contents of the corner stone, presided over by Dr. J.M. Mitchell, who made the chief address. The courthouse was not ready for occupancy by the Circuit Court at its June term, 1891, so that term, the first term of Circuit Court held in Selmer, was held in the second floor of a frame building belonging to Perkins and Gibson on lot 5 of block G where the present store of J.H. Bigger & Sons stands. However, as the weather was warm, several sessions of the court were held in a grove about where the residence of J.H. Alexander and of J.W. Gooch now stand. The first public address in the courthouse was by Elder A.I. Myhr, who held a meeting there the latter part of September 1891, and set up the organization of the Christian church at that time. At the time the town was surveyed, there were only three improvements within the limits of the 50 acre tract so laid off, one small frame building where Mrs. Mary Perkins resides, one where Mrs. W. M. Brown now lives and the sawmill site about where the gin now stands at the southeast corner of town. The first business house erected was a two story frame by Perkins and Gibson on lot 5, block G, and the next was the frame building now standing on lot No 4 of block F, and owned by Mrs. Terry Abernathy. Several residences were moved from Purdy and rebuilt in Selmer and houses went up rapidly, both business and residences. In the spring of 1891, a charter for a Municipal Corporation was obtained for the town, then

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designated in the charter as "The City of Selmer." At that time as well as at every other time since then there was much illegal sales of intoxicants. Under the four-mile law, it was then impossible to sell intoxicating liquor in the county. But the game law permitted sale of liquors in incorporated towns. The institution known as "The Bone Yard" was rampant at Purdy before removal and was attended by much drunkedness, profanity, obscenity and frequent drunken brawls and fights, so much so that the peace officers could not or did not successfully curb or control the crowds on the streets and in front of the residences. It was thought by many of the best citizens then that a better way to preserve, organize and police is with dependable and fearless officers, let the sale of intoxicants be contraband, legalized and controlled. With this theory in mind, the application was made for a charter for the town. To obtain a charter, application was made by giving notice and filing a list of the voters in the proposed territory, then holding an election. This was done and on March 29, 1892, such election was held by W. J. Olive, the officer, the voters casting their ballots for or against incorporation. Most every voting citizen took part and the votes for incorporation were 46 and those against were 6. (Original return of the sheriff is not in my possession.) The next step was to elect 7 citizens to serve as Aldermen. The election for this purpose was held by the same officer, W. J. Olive, April 15, 1892 and resulted in the selection of the following by votes as shown: J. W. Purviance 46; H. P. Wood 39; H. C. Gooch 34; H. C. Taylor 35; W. E. Atkins 36; D. A. McDougal 33; T.N. Bell 29. Besides this seven elected, votes were cast scatterinly for 15 other names. The entire vote cast in this election was 50, being two less than was cast in election for incorporation. These seven men met on April 15 and succeeding days and completed the organization by the election of H.P. Wood as Mayor; W. E. Atkins, Recorder; P.M. Marshall, Marshal and Treasurer. From that date, April 15, 1892, the official history of the city and of the town, behold, are they not written in chronicles of said town. H.P. Wood was the first Mayor and beginning in April 1892. The term was one year and he served that term and several other terms and finally was elected in November 1932, forty years from his first term, and he served then three terms, the last one ending December 1935. Quite a number of citizens have served for one term and many have served more than one term as Mayor. In less than ten years, it was found that the sale of intoxicating liquors by licensed saloons in the town was very unsatisfactory. There were, often as many as four open saloons in operation in this small town of less than a thousand people. The saloons and their owners and operators, with all their influence, controlled the election of town officials and this indirectly influenced the schools and even the churches of the town. In 1901, while John H. Steadman was Mayor, J. C. Houston was our Senator and W.K. Abernathy was Representative, an act of the legislature was passed to repeal the charter of the town and immediately thereafter another act was passed to incorporate under the legislative charter and the officers serving at the time of the repeal of the old charter were named in the act to serve under the new charter. The four-mile law had been so amended in the meantime that under this new legislative charter liquor could not be lawfully sold, so the saloons were all closed by March 30, 1901. There has been no open saloons nor legal sale of intoxicating liquor in Selmer since the spring of 1901, until the opening of the beer saloons under the State law of 1933. It took sometime to lay out roads and open them to the new town, but several notable occasions tended to overcome this difficulty. The next great gathering after the corner stone day was a three day encampment and reunion of a Grand Army post in September 1891. People came from all parts of McNairy and most other counties in West Tennessee. Another occasion that brought people from far and near was the unveiling of the old settlers monument on the front lawn of the courthouse on May 26, 1904. This monument is a bronze structure with the names of the early settlers of the county inscribed on its four faces and was conceived, paid for

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and donated by Gen. Marcus J. Wright of Washington, D.C., who was himself one of McNairy county's most illustrious citizens and obtained high rank in the Confederate army. The occasion of this unveiling had been widely published and a great program prepared with speakers from Washington, D. C. Nashville, Tennessee, Columbus, Tennessee, Muskogee, Oklahoma. This with so many other public occasions and with the holding of the annual meetings of the McNairy County Fair at Selmer, the enforced attendance at the courts by people from all over the county, the location of the depot on the M & O Railroad at Selmer, and all forms of commercial activities of business men all rapidly tended to acquaint people with the advantages and conveniences of the town and the roads leading to it. But still there lingered the old prejudice in the minds of many from the bitter removal struggles and the dealing that Selmer was built up by pulling down other towns and the obligations of all hope for Bethel Springs, Falcon and the geographic center of the county to some day become the county seat. This prejudice and this feeling was still a great incubus and hindrance to the up-building of the town. The greatest factor in wiping out this prejudice and showing the people of the county the roads to Selmer came in 1917 and 1918. In those two years, 565 of the young citizens of the county were drafted into the army through the selective service and the draft board. These all detained at Selmer. Every call for entraining brought some select men from every part of the county and all their parents and personal acquaintances were usually present to see them march to the depot and board the train. Immense crowds were present on such occasions scattered through the two years. It was now about 25 years since Selmer became the county seat and the old prejudice and bitterness of former struggles over the county seat were only to be found as smoldering fires burnt out feelings. McNairy County Independent Appeal Nov 18, 1938.

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From the McNairy County Independent Friday, April 30, 1926

Gooch School News: I. L. Coleman and son, I. L. Jr were in Selmer Saturday on business. W.G. Minton has purchased a Ford, but we feel sorry for that Ford. Mrs. E. J. White of Pocahontas has returned from Memphis where she went to have an operation of appendicitis but found it unnecessary. Mr & Mrs W.G. Tackett visited their daughter, Mrs Lester Blasingame at Corinth, Saturday. Mrs. Arrie Smith of Memphis is visiting her parents, Mr & Mrs. W. B. Gooch. Rev J. G. Gooch filled is regular appointment at Kirk's Schoolhouse Sunday. It seems the road grading crew have forsaken us, as the road to Pocahontas is almost impassable. S.L. Hunter and wife visited the latter's parents, Mr and Mrs I. L. Coleman recently, motoring through in their new car. There will be an all day singing at Eureka, 2nd Sunday in May. J. S. Dunaway and wife of Selmer visited their sister, Mrs Kirk, Sunday. Troy Taylor was the Sunday afternoon guest of Miss Mildred Boatman. Miss Mary McMahan spent Sunday with her friend Miss Pauline Boatman. Stant Kirk and family visited his brother, Parmer Kirk and wife, on Sunday. Neal Coleman spent Saturday morning with his father, I. L. Coleman. J. C. Taylor made a business trip to Corinth Monday. R. G. Gooch, wife and little daughter, Marie, spent Sunday with nephew J. G. Goodrum.

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OTHER DAYS: Feb 1902

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We will produce items that was in the old Weekly Symposium, February 2, 1900: J.T. Barnhill went to Henderson Tuesday morning. Rev. Scraggiest, who has been quite sick is slowly improving. W.R. Newell, of Adamsville, was here this week. Frank Freeman and son spent a night here last week. Dr James H. Curry came in from Memphis Wednesday, having finished his second course. He left Friday

to join his wife and baby at Adamsville. Mrs. J. R. Adams and Mrs. Amelia Young visited relatives in Humboldt this week. Miss Mary Stovall, the beautiful and accomplished daughter of O. J. Stovall of Bethel, visited relatives

here this week. Miss Mamie Chambers, of Pittsburg Landing, spent several days in the city this week visiting relatives.

She is contemplating teaching here in the spring. Miss Irene Houston, of Guys, was a visitor here this week. The judges in the old fiddler's contest at the college hall Thursday evening were Clem Lea, L.A. Beaty,

J.D. Null, Dr Henderson, Tom Walker and Ike Dickey. Prizes in the Fiddler's Contest were as follows:

Tom and Jerry: John Johnson, Baldwyn Natchez: Frank Freeman Leather Britches: Allen Sewell Grub Springs: John Johnson Miss Sallie O: Frank Freeman Donie: R. T. Atkins Sallie Gooden: Sarge McCullar Eighth of January: Giles Springer Hamburg John Johnson

(My note: many of those songs are still so familiar to those that love bluegrass music) Lum Gooch, John Johnson and Allen Sewell played a piece each of their own selection. Johnson played Scott No 2, Gooch played Gray Eagle and Sewell the Fox Chase. Gooch won. Frank Freeman and Giles Springer played Home Sweet Home. FORTUNE'S STORE We have been having some fine weather for farming the past week. Miss Lillian Meeks visited Miss Cecil Jernigan Sunday. Hubard Kilereast made a business trip to Corinth Saturday. Little Hallie Steadman has been quite sick with pneumonia the past week. Cletus Howell of Monroe, La, was visiting homefolks here recently. Misses Cora and Gladys Deming were guests of Mis Lula Jernigan, Sunday. Jas. R. Kennedy of Corinth spent Saturday night / Sunday with relatives near Fortune's Store. Rufus Meeks spent Saturday in Cypress. Misses Alcie Jernigan & Lillian Meeks were weekend guests of Miss Gladys Fortune. Elmer and John Leatherwod visited Misses Iva and Ida Kirk Saturday night. Hubard Kilereast visited Miss Olalee Howell Sunday. Mrs. Rosa Milstead of Corinth spent Sunday with her parents, near Cypress. Mrs. I-- Steadman visited Mrs. H .C .M. Gooch Sunday. Miss Alcie Jernigan spent Friday night with Miss Lonye King. Miss Georgia Meeks visited Mrs. Myrtle Kennedy Sunday. Mrs. Willie Milstead has been on the sick list for the past week.

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G. L. Blasingame will sing at Otterville Sunday. Everybody invited. Theodore King made a business trip to Ramer Saturday. Mrs. Roxie Meeks visited mrs. P.E. Milstead Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. T. R. King are all smiles -- it's a boy. Tom Lawson visited Miss Alma Jones Sunday. H. J. Meeks went bee hunting Sunday. We hope he had good luck. Ida Kirk has been sick with measles the past week.

REMEMBER WHEN tidd bitts.............. by Nancy Wardlow Kennedy

Written about 1994 - published in the McNairy County Independent

Another birthday. It seems like only yesterday that I had my last one. Don't ask me how old I am! I'll never tell, but I will tell you I am old enough to remember: Coke was called Coca Cola, came in a bottle for a nickel. Big Baby Ruth bars were only a dime. Water was drawn from a well, kept in a bucket and we all drank from the same dipper. Bread was something you ate and grass was mowed. Gay meant joyful and happy.

Girls wore only one earring in each ear and boys didn't wear them. Movies left some things to the imagination

Girls didn't go to town with less clothes on than they would sleep in. We got the car only on Friday or Saturday night - if we had been good. We rode the bus to school. Greasy burgers were a dime, Moon pies and a RC Cola were both a nickel, umm good Someone pumped your gas, washed the windshield, checked the oil & tires if necessary. If you got a whipping at school you got another one when you got home. The swimming pool was the pond or the creek. We got married before we lived together. Aids were ladies that changed the bed and emptied bed pans at the hospital Parents thought Elvis's hip rotation was vulgar and of the devil. There were no surrogate mothers or test tube babies. Public TV had no nudity and little profanity. You didn't wear white before Easter or after Labor Day. We got toys on Christmas and maybe birthdays. Flowers were not plastic and Christmas trees were not artificial. Tanning beds were out behind the hedge where nobody could see us. Central air conditioning was raising all the windows. You could mail three letters for a dime and have money left over. Phones were on a party line so everyone knew your business. A clothes dryer was a line stretched between two trees, The dishwasher was Phillip and me. There were no day care centers and nursing homes. No penicillin, frozen foods or pantyhose. No cordless phones, answering machines, computers or microwaves. No credit cards, contact lenses or McDonald's.

A lot of changes have been made in our world during my lifetimes and I hope to celebrate about thirty something more birthdays to see what someone will think of next. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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Tennessee was the last state to secede from the Union on June 8, 1861 and the first state to be re-admitted on July 24, 1866. East Tennessee leaned toward the Union while the middle/west supported the Confederacy. McNairy County was also divided: the northern part Union and the southern Rebel. At the Jan 9, 1865 Convention for re-admission to the Union no one was allowed to participate in the election who had supported the Confederacy unless he had taken the amnesty oath at least six months before the 1864 presidential election. A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF - HONORABLE P. H. THRASHER Purdy, Sept 20, 1891 - The new $10,000 court house at Selmer, which was declared the county seat of McNairy by the County Court at the April term and the court records moved thither on the same day, is fast approaching completion. It will be ready for occupancy by Oct 1. It is a good building. It stands as a monument to the energy and enterprise of one individual. Mr. P.H. Thrasher. Some eight years ago he moved a saw-mill from Adamsville, McNairy County, to that point on the railroad which was then known as the "Pharr Old Field." Within 200 yards of the present splendid court house he cleared a place and put down his mill and began sawing lumber, railroad timber, cross-ties, etc. He built a shanty for the mill hands and himself to stay in until better quarters could be constructed. He began clearing lands for cultivation and in a year or two a good farm was carved out of the woods. Understanding the geography of the country, he knew this point was near the center. This was found to be sure by an instrumental survey, which was ordered to be made by the county Court. Mr. Thrasher, three years later induced the County Court to order an election for the removal of the county seat to this place, then known as New South, a name suggested by the American's Purdy correspondent. It was afterwards changed to Selmer, for the reason that the Post-office Department at Washington refused to grant the requisite papers for a Post-office whose name consisted of two words. The application was renewed with the name Selmer and the writer of the application, not knowing how to spell the name, made a mistake and wrote it Selmer instead of Selma. The first election for removal of the county seat to this place failed. A second election was ordered with like result and in July 1890, a third election was held and upon this vote the County Court resolution removal carried. Immediately upon removal of the records the building of a new court house was commenced. Mr. Thrasher taking the contract. He has pushed the work with vigor. All the material, wood and brick, has been prepared under his immediate direction at Selmer. The town is growing rapidly, a new depot has been built this summer, and many elegant residences and business houses have been constructed and others are in process of construction. Your correspondent is induce to write this to show how much may be accomplished by one determined man, and he is one of our native born citizens. The building of the new town is the work of southern energy, southern money, southern pride and it will be carried on to completion by the same factors. While the citizens of the new town would welcome capital and enterprises from beyond the Ohio and Susquehannah, yet they are not expecting anything of the kind, nor are they offering special inducements with a view to manufacturing an artificial boom. Friday, Oct 9, 1891 - P.H. Thrasher was in Adamsville and Savannah recently, endeavoring to create a public sentiment and interest in constructing a railroad from Selmer to Pittsburg Landing. I did not get all the particulars from him, hence I cannot at present give the detail of his plan. But one thing is certain, the undertaking is feasible and a public necessity, as well as a money making enterprise. The fact that P.H. Thrasher is the leading organizer and master spirit to direct its development, makes the road already almost an established reality, for everyone acquainted with P.H. Thrasher knows him to be a business man and a financial success. He is altogether a self-made man, and it is characteristic of him

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that he is deliberate in arriving at an opinion or a conclusion, but when once formed he is steadfast to his convictions and no obstacle, however insurmountable and impossible it may seem to others, will deter him from carrying out his conclusions to a successful issue. (Editors Note: This railroad from Selmer to Pittsburg Landing was never built.) The general good and welfare of the south and the success of the county at large has been his first and foremost consideration, especially those appertaining to McNairy and Hardin counties, and he has in the past had many plans for their general prosperity, and in their successful execution he has made a great deal of money, but like all public benefactors, and organizer, he has had some enemies and rivals to be put down, and in doing away with these, he has frequently been forced to take measures that drew down upon his head ill-will and unjust remarks of his less fortunate rivals, and few men indeed, in Tennessee, today have the same tenacity of will, force of character, executive ability and public spirit of enterprise and improvements, than Thrasher. Mr. Thrasher has been a much abused public man, but there is an old saying which holds good to the day, "give the devil his dues," so no one, not even his enemies, dare to deny the fact that P.H. Thrasher has taken an unusual prominent part in all public improvement, in every place calculated to facilitate the general public welfare. He is also an ardent advocate with Captain Lee and the leading men of Hardin and McNairy County, in agitating and petitioning the Government for appropriation to make Pittsburg Landing cemetery into a public park, and has materially assisted in giving an impetus to the saw-milling interest of McNairy county, as well as being foremost in taking hold of and advancing every improvement in modern, scientific agriculture, and last but not least, he has been one of the foremost men in this county to help with his own hands and liberal money, donations, to build many churches and has always offered his assistance to every enterprise looking to the advancement and prosperity of the county. Therefore, taking these facts into consideration, is the reason, I day, this railroad from Selmer to Pittsburg landing is already a prospective reality, a short time only intervening, for he has never failed in an enterprise he sets on foot, hence I do trust that every citizen in McNairy and Hardin county, will take liberal stock in this undertaking and help to bring it to a successful completion. Reprinted McNairy County Independent Appeal Nov 18, 1938

FIRST COURT IN NEW COURTHOUSE Be it remembered that a regular term of the chancery court of McNairy County,

Tennessee begun and held at the courthouse in Selmer, on Monday, October 19, 1891. it being the third Monday in said month, present and presiding the Hon. A. G. Hawkins, Chancellor of the 9th Chancery Division of Tennessee. D. A. McDougal, Clerk and Master and W. J. Olive, Sheriff, when the following proceedings were had and entered of record to wit: It may be stated by way of parenthesis that this is the first court held in the new courthouse in the town of Selmer, and that the following lawyers are present and participating in the proceedings of the court: D. W. Boyles of Savannah, D. W. Herring of Purdy, H. P. Wood and Jas. W. Pace of Selmer, J. A. Green of Corinth, Miss, A. W. Stovall and E. L. Bullock of Jackson, John A Pitts of Nashville and J. T. Barnhill of Chewalla. J. A. Farris (P) Called by Death: J. A. known to his friends as "P" Farris, died at his home south of Michie in the ninth district on April 16, 1936. He was buried in the old Gravel Hill Cemetery on the following afternoon. Funeral services conducted by Revs. Hardwick and DeBerry in the Primitive Baptist Church. The deceased was one of the most prominent men in his section of the county, one of the county's most progressive citizen. He was born on April 8,1861. On August 30, 1884, he married Ellen McCollum, a daughter of a pioneer citizen. To this union six children were born, two boys and four girls. A daughter, who married a Pinkston, died some time ago. Surviving him are his wife, five children, grandchildren

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and great grandchildren, two brothers and a sister. The deceased had been a member of the Primitive Baptist church for forty years. Independent Appeal April 24, 1936.

AUNT CYNTHIA PARKER Back when I would spend a few weeks each summer with my Grandmothers, both of whom lived in rural Dickson County, I would relish the evenings spend on the front porch listening to tales of a time gone by. My father's mother would tell Civil War stories passed to her by her husband, my grandfather. He was a young teenager during the war but his father and most of his brothers were fighting for the south. That is another story for another time. My tale today is about a particular story told by my maternal grandmother. She talked frequently of Aunt Cynthia and her capture by Indians. While the thought of cowboys and Indians were of deep interest to me, the real significance of the story was lost until I was much, much older. Granny's name was Melinda Tidwell Harrington. Her grandfather, John Parker, organized the Turnbull Baptist Church which survives today as the oldest church in Dickson County.1 John Parker did not linger long in Dickson County before he moved on to Arkansas. Before he departed he left behind a daughter, Mirinda Parker, who married Johnny Tidwell, and they were the progenitors of my maternal side of the family. However, I am going to follow John Parker. After going to Arkansas, Parker preached for several years, then moved on to Texas, following the footsteps of hundreds of other Tennesseans. He settled in an area that is located approximately 80 to 90 miles south of what is now known as Dallas, in a settlement called Ft. Parker after his brother Issaic Parker. Ft. Parker was little more than stockade with a few cabins inside and out. Ft. Parker became a prosperous settlement. John Parker spread the gospel and Issaic Parker was a rancher, soldier and legislator. On a day in May 1836, a Comanche raid devastated the community. Many were killed, including John Parker. His daughter, 9 year old Cynthia Ann Parker was taken captive. Thus began a 25-year captivity. Cynthia was chosen as a bride by Peta Nacona when she was 18 and she bore three children--two sons, Quannah and Pecos, and a daughter Topasannah. 2 For 15 years she raised her family as the tribe staged forays into Parker County, named after her uncle. Then in 1860, much as with her capture, her tribe was surprised in a raid by a detachment of government Indians hunters. Cynthia was discovered and returned to her Texas family. She was very unhappy and could not adapt to the "civilized life. Several times she stole horses and lit out in quest of her sons who had eluded capture. After about 4-years Cynthia's daughter died of fever. Devastated by grief, she starved herself to death. Cynthia Ann did leave a legacy. Her son Quannah became the last great chief of the Comanche. He led what was left of the tribe on a trail of raiding, foraging and destruction before his eventful capture. After his capture he became an even greater leader. Quanah learned to deal with the Texas cattlemen, leasing them Indian lands for grazing. He, along with many of his fellow tribesman, became quite well-to-do. Quanah made several trips to Washington and used the visits in Congress for Indian interests. Quanah lived until 1911. Although speaking little English, his remarkable adaptation to white ways brought him honors, wealth and a 12 room show-place home for his family. Yet none of this tempted him to forsake his Comanche heritage; when he was buried, beside his white mother, it was in full regalia of a Comanche chief. Granny Harrington related little of this story to me and I have extracted much of the material from the two sources I have indicated. I was too young to probe with the questions that I now have. Aunt Cynthia was a source of pride to Granny and she would sit and stare at the night sky for along time after speaking of her. I always wondered what she was seeing. Now I know. 1. A History of Dickson County by Robert E. Corlew, 1956

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2. "The Old West," Time-Life Books, Vol "The Great Chiefs" The above article was submitted to the Historical Newsletter. Bob and his wife Ann, live in Brentwood Tn, though never a resident of McNairy County, was associated with the County 1978 - ca 1998 as the voting machine technician for the McNairy County Election Commission and was a member of the McNairy County Genealogical Society. He has a continuing interest in Tennessee and Tennesseans and owns an extensive collection of over 500 volumes of Tennessee history and books by Tennessee authors. Bob is retired Colonel with the Tennessee Air National Guard, serving over 38 years. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Force Commendation medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Viet Nam Gallantry Cross with Palm, along with numerous other decorations and awards. He is a Scottish Rite Mason, who has been honored by the award of Knight Commander Court of Honor.

So still and silent now they lie,

Most forgotten and long gone by. They may be dead, but they're not gone,

As long as one of us lives on! Nancy Kennedy

PIONEER INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

LEADER AND BELOVED CITIZEN

By his daughter - Mrs. Georgia Anderson The subject of this sketch, Pugh Houston Thrasher, was born in Lauderdale County Alabama, eight miles north of Florence, March 12, 1843, next youngest of nine children. His father, William Bishop Thrasher, affectionately called Uncle Billy by his community, was a substantial citizen of mean, owning more than a thousand acres of land. He was conscientiously opposed to human slavery, so he never owned any Negroes but taught his seven boys to work. This training was a valuable asset to Pugh when he started out on his own after the Civil war in which he had served three and a half years in the Federal army. He took pride in the fact that he was mustered out of the service without any hospital record, never having been in a hospital in this three and a half years. Pugh returned home from Pulaski, Tenn. when he was mustered out, but remained only a short time. He and an older brother, Henderson, opened a small general store at Wailing Springs, Tenn, but Pugh soon decided that he was not cut out for a merchant, so he sold his interest to his brother and came to McNairy County to visit a sister, the wife of Dr. G. H. Butler. While on this visit he met Miss Mary Howard, who a few months later became his wife. He settled in McNairy County and for fifty-five years was identified with this county's interests. For a number of years he was a citizen of Adamsville. When he moved into this village it had the reputation as the worst community in the Judicial district. It had no church building. Services were held occasionally in the old log school house. There were three small general stores and three saloons. On Saturday afternoons the streets were full of drunks, profanity and fights and with no attempt at law enforcement. When P.H. Thrasher moved his family from Adamsville in 1884, he left the best, most prosperous, most law abiding community in the county at that time and he had no small factor in bringing about this radical change.

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A county seat town at the present site of Selmer originated in the mind of P.H. Thrasher. The town of Purdy, the county seat, began to go down soon after the M & O Railroad was built. Agitation for removal to the railroad began as far back as 1870. Election after election was held but failed to get the two thirds majority necessary. Falcon was too far south and Bethel Springs too far north. At one time the County Court appointed a committee to go over the territory between Falcon and Bethel and select the most available site for a town and upon the report of the committee the Court intended to call an election. The committee unanimously selected the old Houston field. P.H. Thrasher was a member of this committee. The court failed to take action on this report. This land was owned by James Pharr. Early in 1884, James Pharr died, leaving his property to nephews and nieces (having no family of his own). One of whom was the wife of the late J.W. Purviance. This was the opportunity Pugh Thrasher had been waiting for and he lost no time in forming a partnership with Purviance, selling him one-half interest in this property. Together they bought out the other heirs and had James Warren foreclose a mortgage which he had on this land. After paying off the mortgage, Thrasher and Purviance had a clear title to the land. While Pugh Thrasher and Jim Purviance had been close friends for years and remained so till death, their ideas about business were not in perfect harmony, so after about two years of partnership, Thrasher made Purviance a give or take proposition with the result that Pugh Thrasher became the sole owner of about 500 acres of land, including the site of Selmer. Immediately after acquiring title to the property, he started on his plan to move the county seat here. He cleaned off the land where the business houses now are, laid out the streets, numbered the lots, etc. One election to New South, the first name for the town suggested by J. W. Purviance, having failed, Thrasher organized the McNairy County Real Estate and Investment Co. to which he deeded practically all of the business property of the proposed town with an agreement that this company build a Court House to cost not less than $10,000 and deed it to the county, the money to come from the sale of these lots. Thrasher selected 12 of the most influential citizens in different parts of the county as stockholders in his company. The next election was declared, carried and the Court House was built. Purdy brought suit and the case was tried before Chancellor Hawkins in the new Court House at Selmer and thus ended a 20 year's fight for removal. P.H. Thrasher was active in politics, civic betterment and his church. He was uncompromising for the right, but with charity for all. He left for his surviving children and grand children a heritage of courage, honesty, integrity, generosity, sympathy and optimism of which they are justly proud. But ofttimes, "A Prophet is not without honor save in his own Country." McNairy Co Independent Appeal Nov 18, 1938

MCNAIRY COUNTY CHANCERY COURT 1878

RICHARD HILL VS HARRIET HILL, DIVORCE , CASE NO 383 Stated they married 1866 in McNairy County. Richard said he had been living in McNairy County now 2 years.(must have left the county, I do not find them in 1870). They lived together until 1875 when Harriet willfully and maliciously abandoned complainant. Divorce granted 1 st Monday in April 1878.

MCNAIRY COUNTY REAL ESTATE

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IMPROVEMENT COMPANY R.D. Anderson, Jno T. Warren, Samuel Chambers, A.B. Hamm,

H.L.W. Lancaster, H.P. Wood, J.W. Purviance State of Tennessee Charter of Incorporation

Be it known that R.D. Anderson, Jno T. Warren, Samuel Chambers, A.B. Hamm, H.L. W. Lancaster and J.W. Purviance are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate by the name and style of "The McNairy County Real Estate and Improvement Company" for the following purposes to wit: The encouragement of Immigration , the locating, establishing and building of a town or city, at Selmer on the Mobile and Ohio R. R. in McNairy County, Tennessee, the purchase improvement and sale of property and the establishment and encouragement of Industries, to receive by donation, lands and with power to donate streets, alleys and parks necessary for public use, out of lands so purchased or donated..(much as been omitted, it is language of the law concerning corporations rather than history.) Witness our hands, this the first day of July 1889, signed: R.D. Anderson, Jno T. Warren, Saml Chambers, A.B. Hamm, H.L.W. Lancaster, H.P. Wood, and J.W. Purviance. Accepted by J. R. Adams, Clerk of the County Court on the 2nd day of July 1889 at 4 o’clock P.M. Accepted by C.A. Miller, Secretary of State, State of Tennessee on the 6th day of July, 1889.

LUTHER J. HAYNES (NK note: Luther J Haynes was born October 27. 1882 in Georgia and died July 1, 1909 at Chewalla, Tennessee. He was the son of Robert B and Mary Elizabeth Vaughn Haynes.) Independent Appeal, Aug 20, 1909 On July the 1st, the home of our Uncle Robert Haynes was darkened more than can be told, by the angel of death entering therein and taking for its victim our dear cousin, Luther, the oldest child of the family. Oh! the awful truth that Luther, our dear cousin, who was almost the same as brother, is gone is more that can be realized, so suddenly was he struck down with that dreaded disease, typhoid fever, which lasted only ten days, doing its cruel work, leaving a happy home darkened forever; the vacant place can never be filled. His brother can only follow his good example and be a comfort to the heart-broken father and mother. But that aching void will ever be there. Time alone can take the sting away, and as the younger brothers grow into manhood, the good example of his noble life will always help them to be what they ought to be. In his death our community has sustained a loss felt by every member in it. "Oh! how we will miss Luther" was the words of all his companions and friends, while the heart-broken mother and father and brothers and sisters felt that their home has been darkened forever. Luther had been a member of the Methodist church for about seven years, while all his life nothing that was not noble, honest and true can be remembered against him. While our uncle's and our home are darkened we feel sure that Luther is at rest in that home where death does not enter.

Oh, Luther, how we miss you, how sad is our home; Your dear face is ever before us, where ever we may roam. You have gone to that home of the blessed to meet loved one gone on before, Where you will all wait our coming on that beautiful golden shore. Your troubles on earth are ended, Luther, and you are resting free from care, While we are left to mourn our loss in this world so full of trouble to bear.

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You could have been so happy and useful, you were young to have to go, God in His love has taken you home, but oh, Luther, we needed you so. His cousins, Lillie and Carrie Haynes

SNAKE BITE REMEDY On the 16th of September 1855, my son Griffin right, 8 years, while traveling a small

path near a creek was bitten by a Copperhead snake. He immediately notified a younger brother, who was behind him, of the snake, and then repaired to an open place, and after squeezing out, a drop of the poison (as he supposed) sucked and squeezed the parts for some time. And then hastened home, being near a half mile distant. His mother, (I being absent) bound a poultice of tobacco, thoroughly wet, to the wound, and gave him a tea cup, two thirds full of Madeira wine, with a table spoonful of pulverized Cayenne pepper, well mixed, in two portions. The first immediately after it was prepared; and the other, in half and hour thereafter. The pain he was laboring under ceased immediately after taking the last portion. The leg which was bitten, was much swollen the next day and too sore to walk upon, but the third day, he walked about well and as cheerful as ever. We deem it advisable to give this case to the public, inasmuch as others may meet with the like misfortune. And the remedy is so plain and simple, and shows the great necessity for immediate action when one is bitten, and the good effect of squeezing the parts. It will not only force a portion of the poison out but holds it in check until it can be sucked out and the compression of the capillary vessels will prevent the poison from passing into the larger blood vessels. L. Sanders, McNairy County, Tenn reprinted: Ansearchin' News ,Spring 1993.

MORE REMINISCENCES July 7, 1931 In December, 1884, we lived in Adamsville. The old home was in the south part of the town and on the road that led from Main street, south of the little Jimmie Scott place. It was off the east side of the road and just south of the Haywood Pettigrew place. On a cold September day that year M. R. Abernathy my father and the family, consisting of our mother, our father and myself?.....Terry, Florence, Bessie, Mary, Pearl and Olpheus, moved to McNairy (town of McNairy) - passing through the old town of Purdy and on north, traveling the old Purdy and Lexington road until we came to the road called the Purdy and Denmark road, the latter road going through McNairy. We arrived at our new home about night and unloaded in the house that is there now. It was known as the Sheffield place then and is situated diagonally across the street from the John E. Hodges store. We can see the town of McNairy now as it appeared to us then. Just to the east of our home, with a garden spot between the two, was the home of Mrs Tyler. Further west was the home of the Carroll’s; and still further east was the Roger place where lived the widow of Dr. Rogers and her daughter, Bettie and a son named Erwin. As we recollect the names of the other inhabitants of the town, then called "the Station" were the Bradley’s, the Blakeley’s, the Clay’s, Logan Anderson, D. J. Franklin, old man Sheffield, Mrs. Sheffield and children Ed and Ida, the Ozment’s, who lived south of town and across the branch. After Harris, the father of our venerable friend, W. H. Harris, Dick Etheridge and his family, John Ivey and his family, the Plunk’s, John Wesley and Mike, the McClintoc’s, Mrs. Spencer and her children, Macie, Thadeus and Drew. William Smith and family, Jake Lovelace, Mrs. Franklin, John Rogers, "Uncle" Billie Cockrun and Marcus and Sam, the Hostetter’s. The merchants there then were John and Edwin Rogers, Jake Lovelace, and D. J. Franklin. G. L. Anderson and a young fellow named O'Neal, clerked in the Franklin store. Logan Anderson worked in

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the store some. Dr Freeling was the only doctor there then. And a good old man, named Norwood. He was a son-in-law of Rev Jennings, another find old man who was a preacher there in those days. An interesting character in the person of Tab Laird lived there then, his house being between the home we live in and the depot. M. R. Abernathy had gone there to begin school and how well do we remember that opening day of school in McNairy forty-six years ago. J. L. Swain assisted in the school and so did a young woman named Lizzie Veal. Several from other places were students there. The term ended in the first part of May 1885. M. R. Abernathy was the County Superintendent of Public Instruction and had to be in Purdy, the county seat on the first Monday in April 1885. He told Terry and the writer that we could go to Purdy with him and we started the afternoon before. Sunday night before the first Monday we stayed in the home of P. H. Thrasher, two sons John R. and Edgar and two daughters, Georgia and Minnie and a niece Lula Lucas. The business in the court was transacted on the following Monday and our father was planning to go back to McNairy. Col Purviance and Mr. Thrasher were coming to New South, where Selmer is now. Edgar was to go along and after some persuasion, Terry and I were allowed to make the trip and stay a day or two. The three of us walked all the way from Purdy to where the Standard Oil property is now. (This was what was later Selmer, by the railroad.) On that site was a mill shanty. In a nearby lot were four or five yokes of steers. The driver was Shalen Evans and of his proficiency as a steer driver he was a proud as mortal man could be of any possession. We arrived at our destination about ten o’clock. We had not more than stopped until Mr. Thrasher had us carrying boards on top of a building then under construction, just across from this shanty and to the north. It was to be a store building. As I recall now, we carried enough boards to the top of that house what time we worked to have covered any roof we have ever seen. We went in to dinner, eating with Col. Purviance, Mr. Thrasher, Shalen Evans and Shep Barlow. After dinner we were permitted to fish a little. Cypress creek then flowed around through an almost imperilable bottom just to east of us. We came back to the shanty about 4 o'clock and Mr. Thrasher had us to go to old Falcon for some groceries. There was nothing in the "house" to eat. We walked to Falcon and bought a little meat, some sugar, a lot of crackers, that was before the day of loaf bread, some coffee, cheese, eggs, etc, and came on back up the railroad to New South. We had meat and eggs with crackers for supper and made ready to go to bed. Col. Purviance and Mr. Thrasher slept on some sort of bed and Edgar, Terry and I made our bed with Shalen Evans on the floor. We were up by daylight and from then until noon, the writer, in wheelbarrow hauled, under order from Mr. Thrasher, the sawyer, enough sawdust as it then seemed to him, rival in the size of the pile, the pyramids. We found time at noon to "go in washing" at a place about where the south bridge now is. (This was Cypress Creek, just below Selmer - years ago was famous for the swimming hole.) In the afternoon we worked at carrying boards and rolling sawdust and "off-bearing" lumber. Another night was spent about like we spent the first one. The next morning was Thursday and we were told we might go on back to Purdy. This we did, walking all the way. We ate dinner at Purdy at the home of Mr. Thrasher and in the afternoon Terry and I walked the lonesome way to McNairy, getting home about night. Our father had gone home the Monday afternoon before and resumed his place in the school room. That was in April. The school closed there about the first of June and within two weeks we had moved to Purdy, where in the years that followed, M. R. Abernathy had charge of and taught as good schools as have ever been taught in the county or elsewhere. We did not go to New South again until 18............ when on a trip to Falcon to work ....... office he had there, we stopped again in the home of Mr. Thrasher. He had established a home on the site of where the T. M. Humphery residence is now located. In 1890, the writer was here for a few days, worked

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for D. A. McDougal in 1891 for a short time. Just before this he had come to New South to work in a store for Mr. Thrasher. Before being there an hour, the writer found himself with Major Thrasher working in a livery stable and feed barn, then run by P. H. Thrasher on a lot just opposite the home of Louis Adams. Another one with whom we had business connection in that livery stable was Dink Rasberry. On a June day in 1893, we stepped off a local fright train in Selmer and walked to the law office of H. P. Wood. Upstairs in the courthouse and in that old office we "matriculated" staying with him for several months. That day we arranged board with Mrs. Curry in her splendid hotel, opposite the depot. Boarding there at the time were J. C. Houston, who had just formed a law partnership with D. A. McDougal, Milard Sipes, ____ Jack Brooks and others. (This hotel was located at the railroad until about mid 1960 - it was known as the Gooch Hotel later.) Of the happenings from then until now we may have occasion to write at another time. This is a Sunday morning and being a bit of reminiscent mood I write of the ________ and fugitive thoughts as they run through my mind, thinking a reference to other days will be read some interest. W. K. Abernathy HAPPENINGS FORTY YEARS AGO AT FALCON

June 5, 1931 - McNairy County Independent (1891) For those readers who lean to enrich the present by parading before their vision, fond recollections of the dim and distant past, for those whose fondest memories center around the happenings of the long ago when all the world was sunny and care was unknown - we print the following column of personals taken from the Symposium, a weekly newspaper edited by M. R. Abernathy, at Falcon in 1893. Many readers will recall with happiness the names of most of the people mentioned and most of the happenings will be quite familiar to many who were but bright-eyed boys and golden-haired when the paper was abolished some thirty-eight years ago. In this paper also were many advertisements which would but cause the reader to sigh as he recalled so vividly those business men who have long since gone down the long, long trail. The most prominent advertisement in the paper was the announcement of the opening of the Falcon High School and Commercial Institute, at the head of which was M. R. Abernathy and Terry Abernathy. Board of directors were W. H. Stone, J. D. Null, James N. Nelson, John E. Brooks, Dr J. L. Smith, Clem Lea and W. J. Null. Another prominent advertisement was that of the hack Line from Bethel Springs to Savannah which proposed "to furnish the best in the way of Hacks, Buggies and Teams." Many of our readers have undoubtedly made many purchases at the drug store of J. W. Pickens, who had a nice ad informing the public of the fact that he carried a full line of Drugs, Paints, Oils, Tobacco, Cigars, Snuff, Stationery, Candies, Perfumes, Hair and Tooth Brushes, all kinds of Toilet Goods, Toys, Chewing Gum, Rat Poison and 11,111,111 other articles. H. P. Wood and Laney Beaty were other advertisers, as was Freeman who "keeps a first class livery stable and hotel and sells groceries, drugs, musical instruments, jewelry and watches of every description." So, those of you who can recall when Falcon was one of our up and coming little cities in the good old days when men rode horseback and the good women stayed at home, read the following and laugh or cry as the spirit moves you: R. C. Hurst left Saturday for Arkansas. J. C. Fowlkes received Christian baptism Sunday at Ramer.

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Pett (?) Scott and wife of Stantonville visited Falcon this week. P. H. Thrasher and wife left Monday to visit the Exposition. Miss Darnell of Selmer returned from Chicago this week. Pitts Crocker is an applicant for the position of U S deputy marshal under J. A. Mason. Edd Stubblefield made a business trip to Baldwyn Mississippi this week. J. R. Brooks, a principal clerk in McIntires store at Selmer was seriously injured (?) last week. T. B. Cox has disposed of his farm near Adamsville and will move into town soon. Misses Mollie and Sallie Erwin, Nora, Deedie and Maggie Kendrick of Purdy visited the Exposition last week. F. M. Freeman, wife and son Samuel, visited Selmer Sunday returning to Adamsville Monday. Miss Lutie and Robert Adams returned Thursday from Chicago. They were delighted with the Exposition. Miss Mattie Houston, one of the teachers in the Selmer school, visited her home Saturday and returned Sunday. Mrs. H. L. Dickey and her sister, Miss Clissia Bell left recently for an extended visit in East Tennessee. J. D. Null returned from St Louis a week ago after purchasing the largest stock of goods ever offered for sale at this place by his firm. J. R. Stovall and his son Ernest, E. F. Hendrix and his son Forrest and J. P. Epps and his son Ernest of Bethel visited the Exposition last week. S. D. Anderson of Milledgeville was in Selmer Monday. In size he is something on the plan of Grover Cleveland. He is rich in sunshine as well as money. W. E. Tedford and George Earnhardt returned last week from Mississippi where they went to buy chickens. They returned hungry. J. D. A. Coleman, W. R. Abernathy, Edgar Thrasher, William and Allen _?_ left Selmer Tuesday night to visit the World's Fair. They will return Tuesday. _?_ G. Anderson went to Mississippi Monday to buy skips. He is announced to lecture at the Methodist Church tonight on scientific farming. It is hoped he will have a full house to hear him. W. H. Stone went to St. Louis last week to purchase a stock of family groceries but after reaching the city he decided to wait until the return of confidence. J. A. Cunningham, author, journalist and commercial tourist was in Falcon Saturday selling goods to our merchants. N. A. Erwin paid the Symposium a visit Monday. He lives in a beautiful home near Selmer and is developing a splendid farm near the railroad. We are glad to see Jas M. Nelson at the counter again selling goods. He is a fair-dealing merchant and makes his customers fell disposed to continue to do business with him. Uncle Jack Ray appears upon our streets with usual regularity although he is now turning into his eighty-fifth year. He is as jovial as a youth and is healthy as a reindeer. He has lived in this county fifty-five years and fifty years of that time on the ground he now occupies. He is one of the men who helped make Tennessee a great state.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE J. C. GOOCH FAMILY John Gillentine Gooch, son of Thomas Gooch and Lucinda Gillentine, was born in South Carolina October 15, 1809. He was the oldest of a family of four children, three sons and a daughter. The brothers were Jesse and Nicholas Gooch and the sister Lucinda Gooch. They all lived to see their children grown to manhood and womanhood except the daughter, Lucinda Dunaway, who died in middle life, leaving two sons, James and Pinkney Dunaway, whom my father raised with his own children.

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He moved with his parents to McNairy County, West Tennessee in 1823 and settled in the southwest part of the county in what is now the first district. The old log court house at the Sweat Ford just north of Selmer was built about that time and McNairy County was established that year. Purdy, where later the county site was to be maintained for many years had not been laid off and Selmer the present county site and not been thought of. In coming to the county where he was to spend the rest of his life, they crossed the Tennessee river at Pittsburg Landing near Shiloh, the now famous battlefield, where the Union victory was won April 6, 1862. The passage across the historic stream was made in one of the crude boats of that day, with Indians acting as oarsmen. There were few white people in the settlement at that time and Indians and wild beasts were free to roam the woods. He was first married on September 30, 1830 to Louvina Brumbelow (born December 24, 1812). To this union were born nine children, six sons and three daughters. Nicholas, the third child, died at the age of fifteen months and one other unnamed son and daughter died at birth or soon after. Four sons and two daughters lived to raise families of their own before passing away. They were John T, Lucinda, Jesse, William A., Wiley B. T. and Anne Louvine. His wife died November 21, 1844; saving the -- children and his father and mother who continued to live at his home until their deaths, the father living to be a very old man. On May 5, 1845, he married Nancy Adeline Rains, the daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Rains. She was born May 17, 1827. Thirteen children were born to this union, five sons and eight daughters, ten of whom lived to be past middle age and five are still living. (Note: this article written in 1927.) They are James Warren Gooch of Jackson, Tenn, now 80 years old, Martha Louise Dalton and Sarah Ann Gooch, both of Baltimore, Md, Caldonia Lee Howard of Benton, Ill and Amanda Jane Youngblood, died in 1925, result of automobile accident. General Taylor, second son of this set of children, died in 1851 at the age of 28 months. Marion, sixth child, was born and died in February 1857, age 16 days. Margaret Delphine died September 14, 1867, age four months and three days.

A HIGH GRADE COUNTY SCHOOL

BETHEL SPRINGS - 75 Years Ago (1855) McNairy County Independent Appeal, 1930: Bethel Springs was then known as Bethel Church and not until the railroad came and established a depot and post office then it changed to Bethel Springs on account of there being already a Bethel post office in the state. Our people, living in the community for several miles around were a large majority Presbyterian families from North and South Carolina, Georgia and East Tennessee. One large family was from Virginia. Our preacher, old man Kerr, was from North Carolina. He settled on the Old Stage Road, one and a half miles west of Bethel. Others followed and settled near Bethel. There preparation were begun for a school. They built a substantial building with logs. The building was located on the church grounds nearby, so as to occupy both if necessary. The church was a large, frame building, but logs were used for the school building, which was about 25 or 30 feet square. With a substantial floor and roof the chimney was out of brick and large enough for heavy wood 4 or 5 feet long. The patrons would supply the wood. The pupils would chop it up in fire lengths. The building had two windows and one door. The cracks were stopped with boards. The furniture consisted of one long table or counter across the west end from the front door which was located in the southeast corner. A line of benches arranged in the hollow square were moveable, most of them facing the master. School teachers were then called school masters. The master's place was near the fire. He usually kept one or two seasoned hickory switches in reach of him and in full view of all

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the school and switches were used freely and often. The school was divided into large classes. Our master was superintendent and boss over all. Heads of advanced classes would assist the master. It was considered quite an honor to be called on as assistant. Our preacher usually secured teachers from Chapel Hill College, North Carolina. We had one by the name of Plunkett. He was a very fine teacher but was rigid in discipline. It was the custom to close the school with prayer. A very amusing incident occurred during Plunkett's time has made a lasting impression on me and am sure it will be of interest now. The last classes of the day were the spelling classes. The advanced class was the last before prayer. The class recited standing in a circle in front of the master who would give one of the words very distinctly. The speller must spell and pronounce each syllable distinctly or get turned down. We had in the advanced class a lively boy by the name of Sam Copeland. Sam got up an idea that it would be funny to play a trick on the master but the trick back fired on Sam. He was in the circle at center and advanced one step to show off and he shot a grain of corn which struck the master in the face. There was a silence for a few seconds. The master proceeded with prayer. The "amen" closed the school. All started out in a big glee, when the master spoke in a loud voice, "Come back here Sammie." ...........not finished - article lost

WHEN DEMOCRATS AND WHIGS RULED

by Mrs. Sallie H. Wolverton

When a small child, my father known as Shep Halman, lived at a place where Mr. Bill Walsh had a store and gin. There I went to a little country school taught by Miss Jane Halaway, studying the old blue back spelling book and first reader, and my father being a remarkably fine blacksmith and was known by some of the best citizens of Purdy, they persuaded him to come to Purdy to live. That was as far back as 1849 or 1850. Sargent Wisdom was the rich man of McNairy County at that time. He had already built his fine brick residence and his brick store. And there were several fine citizens there, Maclin Cross, Alfred Moore and Pleas Cates, old Billie Ruleman, th......and ........ others. I happen to know or remember the Wisdoms better than most of the old citizens. They were a fine family. Col D W was a fine young man. He was off to school at Lebanon, Tennessee, I think for some time and finally married Wiley B. Terry's daughter of Florence, Alabama. He served the south in the war between the states. I must tell a little incident in Mrs. Wisdom's life. She was an Anderson and after Mr. Wisdom had built his fine mansion, one of her old friends visited her and naturally she was looking over the house and furniture and she said that she heard the piano was a good teal one and Mrs. Wisdom said, "they say it is, but I don't know - but it was an ashtropper." I could tell all about it. I remember J. R. Adam’s mother, and Aunt Celia Shull, who was later Mr. Wisdom's second wife. Our schoolhouse was a small brick near Mr. Wisdom's dwelling, just a female school. The boys and girls never attended the same school. About all the education I ever had was in old Purdy. Our teacher was a northern lady, Miss Rachel Halpin and she surely was an educated lady. There was a presidential campaign _______ that was about the last of the Whig Party, so far as I know. It was merged into the Republican party. They had a big rally and a fine barbecue, but there is always a lot hoodlums at such a place to spoil all the pleasure for the better class. Well, I was in old Purdy when a fine brick Cumberland Presbyterian church was built and I remember the fine suppers they had to assist in getting money to help pay for the church. I was there when the brick was burned to build that fine old college and it was a fine building for that day in this

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country. They had all of the equipment for the study of astronomy and chemistry. Alva Johnson was the first president. My brothers attended it. The outbreak of the Civil War, I suppose closed it. Just think, I have certainly had my dose of war. I lived through the Civil War and the Spanish American War and the World War. The Civil War was the one that robbed me of all my dearest ones. My youngest brother was shot and killed with one of the guns that the south aimed to gain their independence with and my oldest brother was kept in the army until he was almost dead and my father so torn up he decided to go to Paducah, Kentucky, thinking that he would get to some place where both sides would not be robbing us all the time. He caught the smallpox and died and left me the legacy of four little children and my stepmother to take care of. So ended all my dreams of ever being anything that I had aimed to be, but such is life. I can't say, as some do, that we are the architects of our own life. There is a divinity that shapes our lives, rough-hew them as we will.

JIM AND IRA - OUR FIRST BANJO (NK note: I did not get the date when this was published and on the end of the article there were a few blanks because the copy I had was so faded, on those I filled in, probably not the right words, but made sense. Ira and James E Hamilton were the sons of J E Hamilton and Mary D Meeks Hamilton, of the 15th district. Ira was born about 1873 and James E about 1877. There were only a few of these article called Jim and Ira. I think Ira moved away but James E stayed in McNairy County, later moving to Selmer and opened the Hamilton Barber Shop on Court Ave. ) In the __________, Clark's Big Wagon Show came to Adamsville. There came a man ten days before the date advertising this show and posted a bill and pictures of wild animals all along the old stage road, which was about a mile from our home. Ira and I went over on the road to see the pictures of the animals that had a long neck. It's neck was so long that his head stuck out through the top of the cage and he said he sure would look that animal over if Pa would let us go to the show. So we began talking about going to the show several days before. When circus day arrived Pa said we could go and proud lads were we. When we got to the show grounds, which was in the Pettigrew Grove, east of town, the first thing that attracted Ira's attention was the long necked animal. He said it he was going close to the wagon so he could read the name of it and he did. He walked a little too close and while he was spelling the name the long-necked animal reached down and ate Ira's hat off his head. We turned a saw a man standing on a little platform picking a banjo and a monkey dancing. Now I can not begin to tell you all we saw at that circus - it was the biggest thing in the world to us. When we got back home we mocked every kind of animal. But the man with the banjo caught our eye. I told Ira we could make a banjo. As we had spent all our money at the circus, I went out to the sheep lot fence and found an old poplar dance rail, brought it into our father's workshop to his workbench and made a fine banjo neck. Went into the house, stole our mother's cheese hoop that she used for a work basket, fit the neck to it. The next was a head. Ira asked me what we could do for a banjo head, I said, "leave it to me." Our father had a old tomcat that he thought a lot of, I said we could kill “Old Tom" tan his hide and make the banjo head. I asked Uncle Rob Mills how to tan a cat's hide. He said to take the hide, put it in ashes, let it stay ten days, take it out, scrape the hair off, stretch the hide and let it dry. The next time our father went to town, we went after Old Tom. Ira caught him, tied a string around his neck and carried him down to the pasture, tied him to a bush, took our old muzzle loading rifle and with one well directed shot - Old Tom went down. We took his hide off, put it in the ash hopper, there to let it stay ten days and made the head for the banjo. Our father never missed Old Tom for a few days, so one day I heard my father say, "Mary,

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where is Old Tom? I haven't seen him in several days." We laughed. Well, the next question was where will we get the strings? Well, I told Ira, we would hunt ginseng and sell it and buy the set of banjo strings. We sold enough ginseng and bought the banjo strings in a short time. We had our banjo all fixed. Next was to learn to play it. Ira learned to play the first tune on it and I shall never forget the commotion. We were sitting on our old doorstep one evening about dark, I told Ira to pick that old song entitled "Dear Old Step Stone" and I would sing it. We began picking and singing and out loud, our two bit hound just came running around the house howling and all of the folks came running and found we were singing that old song, the more we sang to louder our old hound howled and all the dogs in the neighborhood began howling. I have always thought that is the cause of dogs having those running fits. Those days were happy ones and I think of them often. Many weary years have past since I saw that old banjo and memories steals over me like a charm. In that old familiar place, I can see a stranger's face in the boyhood of happy days down on the farm. J. E. Hamilton

DISTRICT NO 2

(Don’t have date on this) Hello Colonel, have a _____of this country of our is coming to. People are riding bicycles ...and I actually saw a man riding his plows the other day. Then we read in every paper we chance to pickup about some fellow going somewhere. We have the mail delivered right to our doors by Frank Estes, Oscar Wooten, Carl Williams, John Rhodes and others and here these telephones come, flooding the whole country and every man talking to some other man and often the man's wife or daughter, and - and - what all is going to take place I am not able to see. Then, things happen so fast that before you can get your mouth in shape to tell it something else has happened. Now, let us peg our ears with these corn cobs long enough to think what has taken place since last week. To begin with, Mr. John Dillon was playing with his ax around where some crossties lay and the corner of the ax slipped into his leg just above the knee. Yes, John is limping about and will be well soon. Rev. W. M. Paschal bade these diggins good bye and went to his new home in Lauderdale county. And by the way, we are going to lose another one of our citizens soon. Mr. Frank Lockman is going to move to Selmer. We hate to lose him too. Mr. W. E. Donahoe, one of the best timber men in West Tennessee, returned lately from a few days visit to his daughter's Mrs. Le---__ Bailey of Uptonville, Tenn.

INTERESTING LETTER FROM TEXAS Omey, Texas March 10, 1931 from Mrs. D. H. Rodgers While reading the letters about old times in the Independent, my mind has gone trailing backward, as far back as I have any knowledge of the history of my ancestors that lived in McNairy County. So I would like to give you something of what has been handed down to me by my mother, also some of my own experience of once living there. My great grandfather, Joseph Garrett, with his family came from South Carolina to McNairy County in 1840 or perhaps even earlier, as we do not know the exact date, settling about one and three-fourths of a mile northwest of where Ramer is now situated, near one of those everlasting springs of pure

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water. (NK Note: this may be what we called Thompson Springs but it was located northeast of Ramer.) As was the custom in those early days, if possible to build near a spring, I'm sure this new home was constructed of logs with a rock or stick and dirt chimney. How I would like to have a picture of it and know more of the inmates that lived there. The house was built on a hill and the spring was in an usually deep ravine some yards below. The road ran between the spring and the house. There was a deep caved-off piece and the road from time to time had to be moved back. In the bottom of this place is where the spring runs out and where is to be found water fit for a king. Also, in this place there is lots of clean fine sand of different colors, in which as children we liked to play. Along the spring branch are big trees of many kinds, or at least when I saw it last, also wild blooming shrubs, flowers and ferns. A veritable bird's paradise. I remember when we were living there, one and half miles south of this old place, how during dry spells of weather, people would drive their cattle and horses for miles around to water at this springs. And sometimes people would go there to wash, load their tubs, pots and kids into the wagon and take their lunch along and make a day of it. This springs has been flowing right along for 90 years and how much longer we do not know. The old house has long since tumbled down or been replaced by another. I don't think there are any signs of a house now on the spot. It is better known to residents as the old Pink Neill place. My grandfather, John Garrett, settled north of this site at what was called the old Dr Thompson place. These families didn't remain here very many years until they decided to move down to Mississippi to make permanent homes. My daughter, Johnnie Rodgers, while visiting at Ramer a few years ago, had her picture made standing near the old springs with her cousin Billie Dancer. My great uncle and aunt William and Una Prather settled two miles southeast of the spring, it was one of the oldest places in the country. They came about the time great grandfather died. It was for many years one of the best kept places in the country. Old Uncle William was a fine farmer and a great manager. He seemed to have lived years ahead of his time, as many of his methods are considered modern now, in some parts of the country. He could reclaim and fertilize a red hillside and on it produce the finest of melons or crops. He kept the finest horses, cows and pigs obtainable. Raised all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Under his immense log house was a big cellar, in which were stored the winter supply of home produced foods, which consisted of barrels of sorghum, kraut, pickles and apples. Also potatoes, onions and dried pumpkin and fruits. The people of today could perhaps learn something from his methods. One of his pet hobbies was to put late watermelons in the cellar and keep them until Christmas. It was a delightful event in our young lives to have an opportunity of being an overnight guest in this dear old fashioned home. It meant sitting around the big open fire place, with its specially cut back logs and maybe pine knots to burn, that put out warmth, light and cheer where we youngsters might study, play quiet games or eat nuts. The big living-bedroom was so cozy with its rag carpets and other furnishings to match, such as the big feather beds, four poster steads and a trundle bed underneath for the boys. Just a brief description of the kitchen of this home would be that it was in a separate log house sitting back some distance from the main house. At one end was the fire place, stove and table on which was always spread with a generous supply of substantial food, where a chance visitor was sure to find a welcome. At the other end of the room was to be seen the loom, spinning wheel, reel and all the things used in those days by the energetic housewife in making clothes for her family. Everything around the place was kept in tip top shape, with a generous supply of everything kept on hand from well filled barns to an over supply of meat in the smoke house, fruits and vegetables in the cellar and wood in the shed. It seems to me now that they were an unusually good managing couple or were they just typical Tennessee farmers. Perhaps they were, but I will admit that we don't have just that

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type in Texas, though we are improving. At the front of this house were two small rooms, one with the cutest little fire place and we were always pleased to be assigned to this room for the night. The other room was used to store bedding, such as coverlids, counterpins and blankets, all handmade by the dear aunt who was an expert at weaving. Uncle William was twice married, first to my great aunt, Una Garrett, the second time to my mother's sister, Aunt Charlotte or Sis as everybody called her, she being much younger than he was. It was in this home that I was a frequent visitor. Besides all her work she found time to beautify the home surroundings with the lovely old fashioned blooming things such as snowball, honeysuckle, lilac and the old time roses. I can still remember the fragrance of her sweet pinks, there was such a great bed of them in the garden along with her sage thyme and other herbs. I like to think back to the time when there were rosy cheeked frolicking girls and boys in this home. What an influence for good such a home as this has on the future generation. Six generations of the Garrett family have lived in this immediate community. Many of whom reside here now and many others have made homes in far away states. What a wonderful change has come about in the history of our civilization in the past 90 years over which my mind has gone trailing back. First by memory and second by history and imagination. Instead of traveling by ox wagon over weary miles of rough road we go spinning down a ribbon of a highway in a luxurious car equipped with lights, heat, radiator and speedometer or go places by sailing through the air in airplanes. Instead of tolling at the spinning wheel we buy our clothes ready made. Instead of going to the spring for water, we turn on the faucet. Instead of burning candles for lights we pull the cord. For heat we turn on the gas. We can even buy most of our food ready to serve. But while we have gained many things we too have lost many, for as Emerson has said, "Where there is a gain, there is a loss." Each reader may figure that out to his own taste.

FROM A FORMER MCNAIRIAN

April 10, 1931 I grew up in the country just west of Stantonville in the years immediately following the Civil War. The name of Burrell McKenzie, a negro referred to among the colored people who formerly lived at Purdy stirred memories of boyhood days. When I knew him Burrell was still living in the cabin on David McKenzie's farm that he had occupied for years before the war. He could beat a Swiss yodeler and early in the morning he could be heard for a mile or more as he went from his cabin to McKenzie's barn. His yodeling was a signal to other Negroes on the place to meet him at the barn to feed and curry the mules and make ready for the day's work. Then when the days work was done he would give Aunt Sally notice in the same way that he was coming home, ready for the hoe-cakes and other things she had prepared for him. Mr. McKenzie kept a nice pack of fox hounds and frequently, either alone or with company, would enjoy a fox chase. Burrell enjoyed a fox chase as much as any hound in the pack. He always went along on foot and when the hounds struck a tree he would encourage them along with shoops, which were, perhaps, the model for the famous Rebel Yell. When a fox was treed, Burrell was usually there ahead of those on horseback. Thomas R. Beck lived on the road just west of Stantonville. He was Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court and went to Purdy once a week to attend the duties of his office. He would also be in his office on the first Mondays and on public days. North of Mr. Beck across Clear Creek lived Uncle John Cobb. We usually referred to him as "Uncle" in those days as he was past fifty. I remember Mr. Cobb especially in connection with a pear tree that grew in his yard. It produced a prolific crop almost every year of small but delicious pears. Mr.

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Cobb never thought of selling them but gave them freely to the neighbors. And the boys of the neighborhood never failed to avail themselves of his generosity when the pears were ripe. Hiram Laton lived on the road east of Stantonville. An incident which made an impression on my boyish mind is associated with the removal of Mr. Laton's family to Texas. Many Tennesseans in those days went to Texas and the Laton family was in this numbers. They went overland so they would have their horses, farming implements and household goods when ready to locate. A large yellow dog belonged to the family and, of course, went along. He served as a faithful watch dog along the way. But after the family located in Texas the old dog evidently did not like the monotony of the prairies, the jack rabbits that would run off and leave him when he attempted to chase them. So he set out alone and made his way back to the old home at Stantonville. We never knew whether he swam the river at Memphis or beat his way on the ferry boat but he reached home before_________. When I first knew Stantonville, there was a general store, a saloon, a blacksmith shop and a tan yard, all located on the little plat of level land west of the spring branch. The general store, saloon and tan yard, north of the road and the shop south. When the saloon went out of business with the passage of the ‘Four Mile Law,’ Dr J. C. McConnell, who lived on the hill just east of the spring, taught a school there and whatever I remember or forget about it I shall never forget one day when some of the larger boys were running and jumping across the spring branch. It looked easy and tried it. Just as I reached the branch, someone made a noise that attracted my attention, but I was too close to the branch to stop and so plunged in. The water was possibly two feet deep and I was soaking wet when I crawled out. Luckily it was summertime and he saw my plight, the kind-hearted Doctor smiled and sent me home for some dry clothes. Sufficient interest was aroused in the cause of education so the citizens of the community acquired a plat of the ground at the forks of the road, a quarter of a mile east of the original location and built a better schoolhouse than the little log house which had been vacated by the saloon. Elder T. B. Latimore, who was then a comparatively young man, was engaged to teach the first school at the new Stantonville school house. R. P. and Henry Meeks were students in the new school at the same time I was. But they were young men when I was a boy about ten years of age. They say a disposition to reminisce is characteristic of old age. So I had better stop before some one jumps to the conclusion that I am in my dotage.

R. B. LAIN TELLS OF OLDEN DAYS

May 8, 1931 R. B. Lain, one of our old friends and who has been a subscriber to the Independent for a long, long time was in to see us Saturday afternoon. He is an enthusiastic citizen of the old Buena Vista community and has always taken a progressive stand on all matters affecting community and county. While in the office he was a bit reminiscent and we enjoyed talking with him. He recalled the days when in 1877, he went to school to the late M. R. Abernathy, then a young man about 30 years of age. The school was taught in an old frame one room school building on the side of the old fort in southeast Bethel Springs. The old teacher lived just to the southeast of the school building and the old house still stands but the old school house is gone. Mr. Lain called the names of many of the students who went to that school. Among the names he called James L. Littlefield; James L Sanders; John Wesley Pickens; John R, Georgia and Minnie Thrasher; E. F., Ben, James, John and Euphia Hendrix the children of the late Thoddy Hendrix; Alice, Dee and Florence Kernodle; Jobe Rhodes; Laura, Sallie, John and Sam Newsom; Mrs. Charity Stovall Hendrix; Bob, Charlie and Euphia Turner; W. J. and Terry Abernathy; Tom Cheshier; Dr Jim Parrish;

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Mrs. Mattie Tatum Motley; Fayette and Newton Cheatham; J. L. and Euphia Hendrix. That was more than fifty years ago and a half century of living has wrought many changes in the old town of Bethel Springs. A new generation has come upon the scene. Bethel Springs, with its splendid citizenship, wrote much of the county's history after that date. At the time of which Mr. Lain spoke, Rutherford B. Hayes was President of the United States and it was the year after the celebration at Philadelphia of the Centennial of American Independence. In that old home by the old schoolhouse was born the fifth child in the Abernathy household, Mrs. Mary Abernathy Steadman and she is now a grandmother. But the more you think many more are the memories that rush upon you.

WHY JIM AND IRA LEFT ADAMSVILLE We fished a lot at Stanley Creek, which was a small stream one mile from Adamsville. We had one special hole in this stream in which we fished a great deal. So one day in June our old fishing companion, an old man, came over and suggested we go fishing. Ira did not want to go but by a lot of persuasion from myself and our old friend, we got him to go with us. Well, of course we told him of our special fishing hole which was a big drift in the creek. We fished with light lines and for bait we used red worms. We all lined up on the bank and told our old friend how to catch perch and told him how they would pull when he once hung one of them. We had not been there more than ten minutes when he got a bite and I winked at Ira and said to the friend "pull hard" and he did and hung an old hard shell mud turtle, tore up the drift and threw the turtle away out in the field. We all went out and cut the hook of the turtle's mouth and asked our companion about turtles. We ask him if a turtle could be trained and would it make a pet The fisherman told us a story about a pet turtle he saw in the early settling of this county when it was populated with Indians and in the south part of this county was a tribe of Indians and the old Indian Chief's name was Cypress and that he had a pet mud turtle and he was so trained that he could follow along far behind him when he went out hunting and when he killed a deer or bear he would just lay them on the old mud turtle's back and he would walk slowly back to the chief's hut with the game. Ira asked him how he fed the turtle. He said "well in those days, there were lots of wild hogs in this county and the old turtle would go down in the swamp and sink himself up in the mud, leave his lower jaw level with the mud, his upper vertically raised, his mouth open and then the Indian chief would scatter Indian corn around the turtle and some in his mouth and go back to his hut and after a while an old sow and pigs would come feeding along. They would walk right into the old turtle's mouth, and of course, naturally, he would close his mouth, devouring the sow and pigs. So, when the white men drove the Indians out of this county, west, they all were in a hurry and the old chief's pet walked so slow he left him. For a long time he would walk over the hills and through the swamps of the south part of McNairy county alone looking for the old Indian chief. Finally, the white people began to come into this section and the south part of the county. There was lots of fine timber in that section so they put in a sawmill and begin cutting timber in the hills and swamps. One day this old turtle walked up to the log camp. He was so large they decided to capture him and took a log chain, threw it around his neck, tied it to a big log and left him. They went back to camp, in about half an hour and looked around, here came the turtle dragging the saw log. They saw he was so big they just used him in the boggy places to pull their logs up to the mill for years. After they were through cutting timber the mill was moved. All left and had killed all the wild hogs. Again the old turtle was left alone. Ira and myself talked for years about the old mud turtle and they cut ditches in our creek bottom,

56

drained the creek dry, ruined our fishing hole and we decided to leave Adamsville. Ira went to Oklahoma in search of the old Indian Chief. I stopped in Selmer. After living in Selmer a few years I was talking to my friend, Luther Blankenship, who lives in the south part of this county and was telling him this story and he told me he had the head of this old mud turtle. He found it at an old log camp on Cypress creek. We suppose the old pet died from starvation as he had nothing to eat since they had killed all of the wild hogs. He said the natives made ----- canes out of the old turtles ------and it looked like they had used the shell for a mill-pond. Now friends anytime you want to see the old pet turtle's head, I have it on display in the lobby of the Odorless Dry Cleaners Plant. Ira showed me a picture of Peter ------ in our old first reader when we were boys and it said he was a great story teller and I learned about stories from him.

MCNAIRY COUNTY COURT 1865

MARY FERGUSON VS NANCY JANE FERGUSON # 1 A J Ferguson, died in 186- leaving Mary A Ferguson, widow, James H, Nancy Jane, Frederick S, Mary Ann, Eliza, Victoria, Ephraim, Louisa and William, the last eight which are minors. This case states land has never been assigned and guardians have not been appointed for the minors.

LIST OF NAMES POLLED IN THE COUNTY ELECTION

IN MCNAIRY COUNTY, AUGUST 3, 1916 (some districts out of order)

57

DISTRICT 1: BASHAM, T. J. BELL, CLAUD BELL, HENRY BELL, J. A. BIRCE, E. J. BIRCE, W. L. BLANKENSHIP, F. L. BLANKENSHIP, J. E. BLASINGAME, J. W. BOATMAN, J. A. BOATMAN, W. E. BOATMAN, W. T. BODIFORD, S. BOYETTE, O. L. BROWDER, HENRY CANADY, R. W. CLAYTON, F. M. CLAYTON, R. L. CLAYTON, W. E. COLEMAN, I. L. JR COLEMAN, I. L. SR COLEMAN, J. C. E. COLEMAN, J. N. COLEMAN, W. L. CROCKER, F. M. DOLES, JOHN, DUNAWAY, W. C. EADS, C. M. EAVIES, H. L. FERGUSON, E. D. FERGUSON, E. H. FERGUSON, F. P. FERGUSON, J. S. FERGUSON, W. A. FLANIGAN, R. E. FORTUNE, A. G. FORTUNE, J. E. FOSTER, A. J. FOSTER, ALLEN GIBSON, L. H. GIBSON, W. D. GOOCH, R. L. GRANT, W. C. GURLEY, T. F. HANNA, J. S. HEAD, W. H. HENDERSON, J. N. INGLE, L. C. JOHNSON, C. J. KENNEDY, W. R. KING, J. E.

KING, J. F. KING, L. A.

KIRK, C. J. KIRK, A. C. KIRK, A. J. KIRK, C. L. KIRK, E. P. KIRK, H. S. KIRK, J. A. KIRK, L. V. KIRK, N. A. KIRK, R. S. KIRK, R. S. JR KIRK, W. J. N. LACEFIELD, T. J. LACEFIELD, W. A. LANCASTER, W. E. LOCK, E. J. LOCK, L. D. LOCK, S. M. LOCK, V. M. MATHIS, WILL MCALPIN, C. A. MCALPIN, J. C. MCALPIN, R. O. MCALPIN, S. T. L. MCALPIN, W. O. MCCLEARY, E. N. MCGEE, W. A. MCMAHAN, A. J. MILSTEAD, D. C. MILSTEAD, G. F. MILSTEAD, J. A. MILSTEAD, J. C. MILSTEAD, O. H. MINTON, M. F. MORPHIS, C. M. MORPHIS, F. J. MULLENS, G. W. NETHERY, T. W. NIXON, G. W. POWELL, M. C. PRINCE, W. L. RICHARDS, J. C. RICHARDSON, S. W. ROBERSON, S. L. ROBERTS, F. M. ROBINSON, W. E. J. ROBINSON, W. M. RUSSELL, M. A. RUSSELL, R. A.

RUSSELL, S. A. RUSSELL, W. F. SMITH, J. N. SMITH, W. N. STEADMAN F. STEADMAN, T. F. STEADMAN, W. L. STEADMAN. O. C. TACKETT, T. T. TACKETT, W. J. TAYLOR, F. J. TAYLOR, G. W. TAYLOR, J. C. TAYLOR, L. D. TAYLOR, O. A. TAYLOR, R. W. WALLACE, R. D. WHALEY, W. F. YARBERY, A. M. SECOND DISTRICT

ROSECREEK --------, FLETCH ABERNATHY, J. W. ARMOUR, SID BASHAM, J. F. BLAKELY, W. B. BRINT, FRANK BROWN, D. W. BROWN, U. S. BRUMELY, J. C. BUDLONG, L. D. CAMPBELL, J. H. CAMPBELL, L. H. CAMPBELL, T. W. CAMPBELL, W. W. CAUSEY, D. M. CAUSEY, W. H. CLIFTON, M. A. CLIFTON, M. S. CLIFTON, R. H. CLIFTON, W. G. COATS, O. H. COATS, SETH COOPER, TOM COTHRAN, D. R. COX, J. A. COX, J. N. COX, J. R. COX, N. B. COX, W. H. CURTIS, FRED

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CURTIS, H. H. CURTIS, HENRY CURTIS, M. F. CURTIS, R. B. CURTIS, ROBERT DILLON, C. B. DILLON, C. H. DILLON, GROVER DILLON, J. E. DILLON, J. F. DILLON, J. F. DILLON, JOHN JR. DONHOE, J. W. DONOHOE, F. C. DUNAWAY, CHAS ESTES, D. B. ESTES, T. L. ESTES, W. G. EVANS, L. D. FERGUSON, NEELEY FLOWERS, A. J. FLOWERS, H. V. FLOWERS, J. H. FLOWERS, R. H. FLOYD, J. D. FLOYD, J. R. FLOYD, NEELY FORTUNE, C. C. FOSTER, I. H. FOSTER, JOE GADBERRY, M. GAY, BRYANT GIBBS, SAM GILLESPIE, DOCK GOINGS, T. F. GOOCH, J. A. GRAHAM, H. E. GRANTHAM, J. H. GRANTHAM, SAM GRAY, J. P. GRAY, T. J. HARDIN, W. D. HARDIN, W. L. HARRIS, E. L. HAWKINS, L. B. HAYNES, T. A. HENDRIX, J. E. HENSON, G. W. HENSON, J. D. HENSON, N. S. HENSON, P. L. HENSON, W. A.

HENSON, W. C. HICKS, DEE HICKS, J. M. HICKS, T. H. HIGGINBOTTOM, F. E. HIGGINBOTTOM, M. E. HIGGINBOTTOM, S. L.

HOOPER, L. Q. HOWELL, BEN HOWELL, J. H. HUCKABEE, MACK HUCKABEE, R. HUCKABEE, R. G. HURST, JASPER HURST, LOUIS INGLE, J. W. INGLE, JOHN INGLE, W. S. INGLE, WILOBY ISABELL, C. N. ISABELL, O. J. ISABELL, W. D. ISBELL, LEE JERNIGAN, G. W. JOPLIN, AMOS KING, A. L. KING, F. KING, GEO KING, J. F. KING, J. L. KING, M. A. KIZER, DAVE KIZER, DEE KIZER, JOE KIZER, N. J. KIZER, W. H. LAUGHLIN, J. M. LAUGHLIN, JOHN LEONARD, BRUCE LEONARD, C. E. LEONARD, J. H. LEONARD, J. L. LEWIS, J. B. LOCK, B. C. LOCK, L. B. LOCKMAN, W. R. LORANCE, I. M. LOWRANCE, C. N. MAYFIELD, J. H. MAYFIELD, J. M. MCALPIN, C. L.

MCALPIN, J. C. MCCALIP, A. R. MCCALIP, C. M. MCCALIP, ROSS MCGEE, W. A. MCINTYRE, C. P. MCINTYRE, H. L. MCINTYRE, J. W. MCINTYRE, R. A. MCINTYRE, TROY MCINTYRE, W. O. MILLER, J. C. MITCHELL, A. L. MITCHELL, F. F. MITCHELL, J. N. MITCHELL, J. R. MITCHELL, WILLIE MOORE A. L. MOORE, A. M. MOORE, B. L. MOORE, BOB MOORE, C. A. MOORE, G. L. MOORE, GEORGE MOORE, H. C. MOORE, HENRY MOORE, J. A. MOORE, J. B. MOORE, J. C. MOORE, J. D. MOORE, J. D. SR. MOORE, J. E. MOORE, J. L. MOORE, J. L. MOORE, L. M. MOORE, T. P. MOORE, W. M. MOORE, WALTER NICHOLS, D. P. NIXON, B. K. NIXON, R. D. NIXON, WALTER PERKINS, J. H. PRICE, J. C. PRICE, R. C. PRICE, STANTON PRICE, W. D. RAY, ARLIE RAY, F. S. RAY, J. M. RAY, W. M. ROBESON, J. A.

59

ROBINSON, J. H. ROBINSON, J. M. ROBINSON, JESS ROBINSON, M. L. ROBINSON, R. L. ROBINSON, W .S. ROBINSON, W. D. ROBINSON, WILBUR ROTEN, J. A. ROWSEY, G. W. RUSSOM, M. F. SANDERS, W. E. SIMPSON, Z. T. SMITH, R. H. SPARKS, ? O. STUMPH, J. F. STUMPH, O. T. SURRATT, JOHN SURRATT, W. C. SWEAT, G. L. TULL, BOSS TULL, D. W. TULL, FRANK TULL, H. J. TULL, JOHN TULL, N. D. TURNER, W. W. WASHAM, GEO WEAVER, HENRY WEBB, W. R. WHITTEN, G. F. WHITTEN, J. E. WHITTEN, J. F. WHITTEN, LOLA WILKES, FRANK WILLIAMS, G. D. WILLIAMS, J. E. WILLIAMS, JOHN WILSON, D. H. WILSON, J. H.

SECOND DISTRICT

HUNTERS STORE BELL, FRANK BOATMAN, JNO A. BYRD, F. R. BYRD, JON CLIFTON, D. G. COFER, HENRY FORSYTH, ANDY FORTUNE, A. P.

FORTUNE, T. C. FOSTER, C. N. GOODRUM, C. L. GOODRUM, J. M. HUNTER, B. F. HUNTER, J. C. HUNTER, J. D. HUNTER, J. T. HUNTER, S. L. HUNTER, W. F. KING, G. A. KING, R. W. KING, W. M. KNIGHT, J. L. KNIGHT, RUFUS KNIGHT, W. T. LOCK, D. W. MARTIN, A. F. MATLOCK, E. D. MATLOCK, J. T. MCGEE, B. O. MCGEE, C. F. MOORE, F. Y. NICHOLS, W. R. RICHARDS, G. S. SANDERS, J. W. SHYTLES , W. R.? SMITH, L. C. WEATHERLY, A. L. WEATHERLY, J. A. WEATHERLY, J. H. WEATHERLY, R. M. WEATHERLY, T. F. THIRD DISTRICT KERBY

PRECINCT ARCHER, B. B. ARCHER, D. M. BROWN, ABE BROWN, ROBT CAMPBELL, R. C. ESTES, G. W. FLOYD, JOHN GARNER, A. D. GARNER, C. E. GARNER, W. M. HODGES, W. H. HURST, M. T. INGLE, H. F. INGLE, J. A. INGLE, J. M.

KERBY, J. H. KERBY, JIM KERBY, JOE KERNODLE, ALBINE KERNODLE, BATE KERNODLE, J. F. KING, J. L. KOEVNER, L. F. LONG, FONSEY LONG, M. L. MANESS, DUNK MANESS, G. G. MANESS, J. H. MASON, BELL MAXWELL, C. R. MCCONNELL, TOM MOORE, J. W. MOORE, MORTON MOORE, W. E. MOORE, W. L. MOORE, WILL MORTON, BEN MORTON, LEWIS MUSE, E. RANDOLPH, BILL ROWSEY, J. C. RUSSOM, G. D. RUSSOM, W. F. RUSSOM, W. J. SIPES, D. W. SIPES, I. L. SIPES, T. H. SMITH, J. W. SMITH, W. E. SPENSER, G. W. TULL, C. H. TULL, C. M. TULL, C. R. TULL, J. D. WHITLEY, W. E. WILSON, W.O. WOODS, J. C. FOURTH DISTRICT ANDERSON, J. M. ANDERSON, R. H. BARNES, J. E. BARNES, W. E. BARNETT, J. T. BARNHILL, MILT BELL, L. S.

60

BLASINGAME, E. L. BLASINGAME, G. A. BLASINGAME, H. B. BLASINGAME, J. E. BURKETT, ANDY BURKS, J. B. BURRESS, J. B. BURRESS, J. D. BURRESS, J. F. CARMAN, L. H. CARMAN, T. O. CLAYBORN, CHAS COOKSEY, J. A. CRABTREE, W. R. DAMONS, H. B. DANCER, H. P. DANCER, J. R. DANCER, W. F. DARBY, B. F. DARBY, J. R. DARBY, W. J. DILLON, J. A. FLYN, J. F. FOLKS, S. K. GALYAN, J. R. GARDNER, I. S. GARRETT, JIM GOOCH, C. C. GOOCH, J. C. M. GOOCH, V. G. GRAHAM, J. T. HAMILTON, W. L HAMILTON, W. L. HAMM, A. B. HAMM, HALLIE HAMM, J. H. HAMM, J. R. HAMM, M. H. HAMM, R. B. HAMM, W. G. HILL, FRED HILL, H. L. HILL, H. N. HILL, J. H. HILL, J. M. HOLT, HENRY HOUSTON, DEE HOUSTON, G. R. HOUSTON, R. L. INGLE, H. T. INGLE, J. W. JOHNSON, H. B.

JOHNSON, RAMSEY JOHNSON, W. B. JONES, DEE KEY, M. C. KIDD, CHAS KIDDY, J. M. KING, J. J. KING, J. M. KIRK, ED KNIGHT, BOB LAWSON, A. B. LAWSON, A. E. LAWSON, J. B. LAWSON, J. S. LAWSON, TILMAN LEWIS, M. M. MARTIN, J. A. MARTIN, J. J. MARTIN, J. L. MARTIN, T. M. MAXEDON, B. A. MAXEDON, H. J. MCALPIN, W. L. MCCOY, J. W. MCHUGHES, W. B. MCMAHAN, W. P. MEEKS, J. T. MELTON, ED MOORE, J. F. MOORE, ROBERT NEATHERY, E. W. OLIVE, J. R. PARSON, J. A. PARSON, P. C. PARSON, PRINCE PETREE, W. A. PHILLIPS, BUD PHILLIPS, P. P. PRATHER, C. A. PRATHER, G. A. PRATHER, J. G. PRATHER, T . H. PRATHER, TOLBERT RAMER, O. J. RAMER, T. P. RAY, BARNEY RAY, CLYDE RAY, DAULT REEDER, J. C. REEDER, J. H. REEDER, J. W. REEDER, R. S.

RICHARDS, LEE RINEHEART, A. M. ROBERSON, E. S. ROBERSON, WILLIE ROBERTSON, G. C. ROBERTSON, J. T. ROBINSON, G. W. ROBINSON, J. W. SHEA, TIM SHELTON, J. A. SHELTON, J. G. SHELTON, R. N. SHELTON, S. E. SHERMAN, TOM SMITH, A. W. SMITH, D. B. SMITH, L. B. SMITH, SAM SUTTON, G. W. SUTTON, J. N. SWAIN, R. H. TATE, C. L. TATE, HENRY TEAGUE, A. T. TEAGUE, G. O. TEAGUE, G. W. TEAGUE, J. B. TEAGUE, J. J. TEAGUE, J. J. JR TEAGUE, J. L. TEAGUE, JOHN TEAGUE, PLEASE TEAGUE, W. J. THIGPEN, J. D. TIDWELL, R. N. WADE, LAZARUS WALKER, ARON WALKER, GUS WALLACE, J. F. WALLACE, W. O. WALLACE, W. W. WARDLOW, J. A. WARREN, J. D. WEATHERLY, JESS WILLIAMS, B. L. WILLIAMS, J. L. WYATT, C. C. WYKE, PINK FIFTH DISTRICT

GRAVEL HILL PRECINCT

61

ARMSTRONG, J. A. ARMSTRONG, V. E. ARMSTRONG, W. I. ARMSTRONG, W. O. BOWERS, R. F. BURNES, C. H. CARNEY, N. B. ENGLISH, J. O. FARRIS, P. F. GARDNER, J. C. GARDNER, S, I. GOOCH, G. M. HADDOCK, C. D. HAMM, A. M. HAMM, J. N. HAMM, W. D. HEWETT, R. B. HEWETT, T. R. HEWETT, V. L. HOGAN, W. D. HOGAN, W. M. HOWIE, J. T. HUGGINS, J. B. HUGGINS, JOE R. HUGGINS, P. J. JONES, J. V. LATTA, D. R. LATTA, EARL LATTA, L. D. LATTA, L. T. LIPFORD, J. A. LIPFORD, W. A. LITTLEJOHN, S. S. MARLER, J. N. MCCOY, J. R. MCCOY, W. J. MCCULLER, E. E. MCCULLER, S. H. PEARCE, B. F. PRINCE, J. C. PRINCE, L. H. RANDOLPH, I. W. ROBERTSON, R. M. SMITH, JOHN J. SPRINGER, A. L. SPRINGER, J. P. SPRINGER, J. W. SPRINGER, P. F. SUMMERS, S. H. THOMAS, I. A. FIFTH DISTRICT

CAFFEY PRECINCT ADAMS, W. M. ARMSTRONG, D. P. ARMSTRONG, J. D. AVERY, BILL AVERY, ED BOWERS, F. J. BRANDON, FRANK BRANDON, JOE BURNS, W. A. CAFFEY, R. W. CASTLEBERRY, O. CHAMBERS, A. A. CHAMBERS, F. E. CHAMBERS, JOE COLN, J. R. COLN, T. D. CREIGHTON, L. C. CROW, I. C. CUNNINGHAM, E. L. CURTIS, C. C. DURBIN, S. P. EMMONS, T. C. ESTILL, J. W. FARRIS, J. C. FARRIS, JOE FARRIS, T. F. FARRIS, U. L. FORSYTH, J. W. FORSYTH, W. A. FORSYTH, W. E. GRISGBY, T. E. HOPKINS, P. A. HORNBERGER, HENRY HOWIE, J. W. HUGGINS, E. HUGGINS, M. S. ISBEL, A. H. JENNINGS, WILL JONES, ODEL KELLY, N. L. MANNING, LOU MITCHELL, I. H. MOORE, ARLIE MOORE, EDWIN MOORE, J. A. MORGAN, J. R. NICKLES, N. F NORTH, E. H. NORTH, J. M. PHELPS, B. A. PINKSTON, J. T.

PRATT, J. F. ROBBINS, J. L. RODGERS, GEO RODGERS, J. M. SANDERS, J. C. SIMMONS, LEE ROY SMITH, G. W. SMITH, J. J. SMITH, L. A. SMITH, T. L. SOUTH, W. O. STRICKLAN, E. B. STRICKLAND, R. E. VANDYKE, BOB WADE, DALTON WADE, DAVE WARDLOW, J. D. WARREN, HENRY WHITE, J. A. WILLIAMS, J. W. WILLIAMS, T. G. WOODUS, W. A. SIXTH DISTRICT

SELMER PRECINCT ABERNATHY, D. W. ABERNATHY, H. G. ABERNATHY, J. W. ABERNATHY, O. ? ABERNATHY, TERRY ABERNATHY, W. K. ADAMS, BOB ADAMS, FRANK ADAMS, J. L. ADAMS, J. R. ALEXANDER, U. S. ALEXANDER, CHAS C. ALEXANDER, J. H. ALEXANDER, J. L. ALEXANDER, M. L. ALEXANDER, R. C. ALEXANDER, W. H. AMMONS, B. F. AMMONS, F. G. AMMONS, J. H. ANDERS, T. L. BAILEY, ALF BAKER, B. L. BAKER, D. H. BAKER, D. M. BAKER, H. J. D.

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BAKER, J. T. BAKER, WINFIELD BARLOW, QUINCY BARNES, C. W. BARNES, J. C. BARNES, L. W. BARNES, N. E. BAYSINGER, J. W. BEARD, W. F. BEATY, L. A. BELL, ALF BELL, W. T. BIGGER, J, H. BISHOP, J. A. BOWERS, VERDELL BROOKS, ARON BROOKS, J. M. BROOKS, J. R. BROOKS, M. L. BROOKS, T. M. BROWDER, B. L. BROWDER, BILL BROWDER, CARLISLE BROWDER, TOM BROWN, W. M. BUNDY, E. B. BURKETT, BILL BURKETT, WILLIE CAFFEY, JIM CANTEBERRY, J. T. CARMAN, H. S. CARMAN, HENRY CARMAN, J. H. CARMAN, TOBE CARMAN, W. R. CARMEN, W. E. CAROTHERS, H. O. CAROTHERS, J. L. CAROTHERS, R. A. CAROTHERS, W. E. CARTER, W. R. CHAMBERS, GOE CHAMBERS, OSCAR CHESHIER, J. D. CLINT, JOHN COLE, E. C. COLEMAN, J. D. A. COLEMAN, J. R. COLEMAN, T. J. CURRY , J. H. CURRY, FRANK DUNAWAY, J. E.

DUNAWAY, J. L. DUNAWAY, W. A. EDWARDS, JIM ENGLISH, G. I. ERWIN, J. R. ERWIN, N. A. ERWIN, O. V. ESTES, F. E. EVANS, ANDY EVANS, CUB FERGUSON, CARL FERGUSON, CARL FERGUSON, CLEVELAND FERGUSON, J. H. FLANIGAN, C. F. FLOYD, J. H. FORSYTH, F. E. FORSYTH, W. G. FOSTER, J. H. FOSTER, J. L. FOWLER, J. N. FOWLER, MOSE FOWLER, PUGH FULTON, W. T. GARLOW, MARSHALL GARRETT, E. H. L. GARVIN, S. V. GIBSON, H. C. GILBERT, J. C. GILLESPIE, ALBERT GOOCH, EARL GOOCH, ED GOOCH, H. C. GOOCH, J. A. GOOCH, J. W. GOOCH, OLIVER GOODRUM, N. E. GRAHAM, C. C. GRAHAM, DUE GRAHAM, ERNEST GRAHAM, J. B. GRANT, W. A. GRAY, J. B. GRAY, J. W. GREEN, JAMES GREER, EBER GUNDY, GEO HAGY, W. D. HALL, J. W. HALL, TEO HALL, TROY HAMILTON, F. O.

HAMILTON, J. E. HAMILTON, W. H. HAMM, EMORY HARRIS, M. A. HAWKINS, E. R. HAWKINS, T. M. HAYNES, C. L. HEARD, BILL HENDRIX, E. S. HENDRIX, F. F. HENDRIX, WILEY HINES, C. C HINES, F. M. HOCKADAY, W. R. HOLLAND, W. C. HOOVER, J. O. HORNER, J. R. HORNER, O. L. HORNER, R. O. HOUSTON, J. C. HOUSTON, J. A. HOWELL, L. J. HUMPHREY, W. F. HURST, B. C. HURST, T. J. HURST, W. P. JOHNSON, WADE JONES, F. A. JONES, G. W. JONES, IRA JONES, J. H. JONES, LEE JONES, O. E. JOPLING, A. H. KENDRICK, R. M. KERNODLE, GEO KING, C. D. KING, J. F. KING, J. W. KING, LAWSON KING, O. L. KING, W. M. KIRKPATRICK, WILLIS LANE, A. C. LAWSON, R. C. LEA, CLEM LEDBETTER, JIM LEONARD, R. L. LIPFORD, F. M.. LIPFORD, FREEMAN LOCK, FONNIS LOCK, FRANK

63

LOCK, J. A. LOCK, W. M. LOCKMAN, J. R. LOCKMAN, W. M. LUMPKINS, ALLEN LUSK, GEO LUSK, MARK LUSK, WILL MATLOCK, MOSE MAXEDON, J. B. MAXEDON, J. E. MCCORMACK, C. L. MCCORMACK, T. L. MCCORMACK, W. D. MCCORMACK, W. R. MCCULLER, ARCHIE MCCULLER, ARTHUR MCCULLER, BEN MCCULLER, BOSS MCCULLER, C. L. MCCULLER, CUBE MCCULLER, E. U. MCCULLER, G. W. MCCULLER, J. T. MCCULLER, JESS MCCULLER, JOHN MCCULLER, REEDY MCCULLER, ROBT MCCULLER, W. M. MCCULLER, W. T. MCDANIEL, ISAAC MCDANIEL, LEE MCDOUGAL, ANDERSON MCDOUGAL, JOE MCINTYRE, E. N. MCINTYRE, J. L. MCNATT, BOB MCNATT, JIM MCNATT, W. D. MELTON, TOM MICHAEL, T. L. MILLSAPS, L. A. MONTGOMERY, J. L. MOORE, A. C. MOORE, ALLEN MOORE, I. H. MOORE, LANSS MOORE, RAY MOORE, SAM MOORE, W. C. MORPHIS, C. A. MORRIS, COLUMBUS

MORRIS, NEP MOSS, J. H. NAYLOR, T. O. NELIUS, W. D. NETHERY, P. A. NETHERY, R. H. OLDMAN, SAM OLIVE, A. H. OLIVE, W. J. PACE, JOHN PASCHAL, JIM PERKINS, E. C. PERKINS, O. P. POWELL, DAN POWELL, ORLANDO PRATHER, A. S. PRATHER, E. H. PRATHER, J. C. PRATHER, J. S. PRATHER, J. W. PRATHER, JERRY PRATHER, JOHN PRATHER, JONAS PRATHER, L. H. PRATHER, L. M. PRATHER, LANIE PRATHER, TOM PRATT, HENRY PRATT, JOE PRINCE, NOAH PURVIANCE, J. W. RAMER, GEO REEDER, HENRY REEDER, LANIE REEDER, W. A. REYNOLDS, J. L. RICHARDSON, J. H. ROACH, BUD ROACH, FELIZ ROACH, SIMON ROBERTSON, J. M. ROBINSON, D. G. ROBINSON, L. M. ROBINSON, M. L. ROBINSON, W. D. SANDERS, ENOCH SANDERS, F. D. SANDERS, J. F. SANDERS, J. G. SANDERS, LILLIAN SCOTT, C. A. SCOTT, T. S.

SHARP, WALTER SIMPSON, A. L. SIMPSON, W. B. SMITH, A. L. SMITH, ARTHUR SMITH, D. L. SMITH, G. B. SMITH, J. L. SMITH, J. R. SMITH, M. E. SMITH, W. L. STEADMAN, C. B. STEADMAN, J. H. STEADMAN, R. L. STITLES, R. A. STONE, W. E. STONE, W. H. STUMPH, J. W. SURRATT, L. E. SURRATT, L. J. SWEAT, E. T. SWEAT, FOY SWEAT, J. W. SWEAT, W. A. SWEAT, W. S. TACKETT, G. W. THRASHER, R. H. TYSON, W. F. VARNELL, J. T. VESTAL, J. A. VIERS, JOHN VINSON, C. O. WADE, JEFF WAGONER, J. C. WALLACE, J. W. WARREN, H. A. WARREN, J. L. WEEKS, D. H. WEEKS, DAVE WEEKS, S. E. WEILE, LUK WESTBROOKS, ABE WESTBROOKS, CLAY WESTBROOKS, JOE WESTBROOKS, PETE WHITAKER, J. M. WHITEHURST, T. B. WHORTON, W. M. WILEY, JEFF WILKES, CARL WILLIAMS, A. M. WILLIAMS, D. N.

64

WILLIAMS, J. A. WILLIAMS, J. F. WILLIAMS, J. M. WILLIAMS, L. A. WILSON, GIB WOLF, J. H. WOLF, J. H. SR WOLF, N. H. WOLF, W. H. WOLF, WILL WOOD, H. P. WOODS, L. M. WOODS, L. U. WOOTEN, A. O. YOUNG, SAM YOUNG, WILL 6

TH DISTRICT

FALCON PRECINCT ATKINS, JIM BAYSINGER, W. D. BIGGS, J. A. BLAKELY, C. L. BROWDER, F. P. CHAMBERS, JIM CHAMBERS, OLEN CLAYTON, W. J. COLEMAN, A. W. CURTIS, J. B. GILBERT, F .A . HORTON, J. B. HURST, D. R. JERNIGAN, C. A. JERNIGAN, W. R. JERNIGAN, W. W. JOHNSON, J. W. KINCHEN, W. R. KINDLE, H. M. MATLOCK, E. F. MATLOCK, T. J. MCVEY, A. B. PERKINGS, IRA POWELL, B. F. POWELL, JIM RAY, B. P. RAY, L. A. SWEAT, J. D. TAYLOR, A. C. TAYLOR, J. W. TAYLOR, W. A. TAYLOR, W. S.

WALKER, J. W. WESTBROOKS, COON WILLIS, A. W. WILLIS, R. S. 7

TH DISTRICT

PURDY PRECINCT ASH, D. M. BARNES, BUFORD BARTON, W. I. BEARD, CARL BEARD, F. D. BEARD, J. A. BEATY, GEO BEATY, O. H. BELL, J. M. BOYD, J. W. BROWDER, A. F. BROWDER, L. R. CASE, JON CHAMNESS, E. H. COMBS, J. F. COMBS, W. S. COOPER, DICK COOPER, DON DAVIS, HENRY DICKSON, P. F. DOLLAR, FRANK ELLIOTT, W. F. ELLIOTT, W. L. ETHERIDGE, C. W. ETHERIDGE, J. W. EVANS, E. D. EVANS, SHALING FERGUSON, E. E. FLEMING, ISAAC GARNER, A. J. GARNER, T. F. GARNER, WILL GIBSON, P. GRAY, A. M. HARRIS, B. M. HARRIS, H. C. HAWKINS, G. H. HAWKINS, JIM HENDRIX, J. T. HENDRIX, R. I. HIGGINS, B. M. HILL, J, A, HILL, T. J. HUGHES, C. H.

HURST, ABB HURST, NEIL INMAN, A. F. INMAN, F. M. INMAN, G. W. R. INMAN, J. C. INMAN, J. M. INMAN, JON C. INMAN, M. L. INMAN, W. A. INMAN, W. J. INMAN, W. O. JOHNSON, ACE JOHNSON, H. C. JOHNSON, J. N. JOHNSON, MIKE JOPLING, LAURENCE JOPLING, V. A. JOPLING, W. E. JOPLING, W. W. KERBY, W. F. KERBY, W. W. KERR, MINOR LARUE, J. C. LIPFORD, C. C. LIPFORD, FRANK LIPFORD, J. R. LUTTRELL, A. K. LUTTRELL, JIM LUTTRELL, JOHN MARSHALL, C. C. MARSHALL, D. E. MCCANN, R. M. MILFORD, F. H. MILFORD, L. A. MURPHY, WILL PIPKINS, JESSIE RICHIE, J. M. RIMMER, R. L. SANDERS, ZENNA SIPES, J. A. SMALLWOOD, J. B. SURRATT, A. SURRATT, WILL TACKER, D. J. TACKER, J. L. TACKER, JOE THOMPSON, J. A. THOMPSON, JAROME TREECE, CAL TREECE, J. L. TREECE, RUBE

65

WAGONER, ROBERT WAGONER, W. J. WAGONER, W. L. WHARTON, J. J. WHARTON, PRENTISS WHITE, W. L. WHITTEN, J. A. WILBANKS, J. B. WILBANKS, J. L. WILKS, G. W. WOODS, JIM 8

TH DISTRICT

FINGER PRECINCT BAILEY, E. W. BARHAM, C. L. BARHAM, J. E. BARHAM, J. P. BARHAM, M. A. BARHAM, M. L. BARHAM, R. N. BARHAM, T. A. BARNES, C. M. BARNES, W. M. BARTON, J. R. BASS, R. J. BAWCUM, A. A. BAWCUM, L. A. BEARD, D. F. BISHOP, A. G. BISHOP, D. E. BROAN, C. BROWN, FLA BROWN, Z. W. BURKEEN, W. L. CARROLL, H. W. CARTER, R. L. CASE, J. D. CLAYTON, E. L. CLAYTON, R. A. COOK, G. J. CROW, J. H. DAVIS, F. A. DAVIS, W. G. DAVIS, W. M. DICKEY, E. L. DICKEY, G. F. DICKEY, G. W. DICKEY, J. R. DICKEY, W. A.

DRAPER, C. B. DUGGA, G. W. FLOYD, J. P. GRIFFIN, C. B. GRISWELL, D. C. HARRIS, C. B. HARRIS, J. R. HARRIS, R. B. HARRIS, U. F. HARRIS, W. H. HENDRIX, A. H. HILL, R. H. HILL, S. E. HILL, W. R. HODGES, H. D. HODGES, H. F. HODGES, H. L. HODGES, HENRY HODGES, HORRY HUTCHERSON, J. C. HUTCHERSON, L. N. HYSMITH, D. L. HYSMITH, FULLER HYSMITH, LONY JACKSON, E. O. JACKSON, L. J. KERSON, NIL R. N. KIRKPATRICK, C. S. KIRKPATRICK, H. H. KIRKPATRICK, J. F. KIRKPATRICK, J. W. LAIN, J. S. LEDFORD, A. K. LEDFORD, H. F. LIPFORD, M. F. LIPFORD, R. A. N. LOFTIN, J. S. LOFTON, M. L. MANESS, W. W. MASSEY, J. O. MCCANN, A. M. MCCANN, T. P. MITCHELL, E. D. MITCHELL, J. C. MITCHELL, J. F. MOORE, G. R. MOORE, W. A. MORGAN, W. H. MORRIS, E. E. MORRIS, R. M. MORRIS, T. L. NAYLOR, G. L.

NAYLOR, H. J. NAYLOR, I. C. B. NAYLOR, J. A. NAYLOR, J. C. NAYLOR, T. E. PATTERSON, A. F. PATTERSON, E. H. PEEPLES, E. C. PITTS, J. C. PLUNK, A. J. PLUNK, A. M. PLUNK, BOB PLUNK, D. F. PLUNK, H. A. PLUNK, N. A. PLUNK, O. M. PLUNK, R. L. PLUNK, S. P. PLUNK, W. L. ROBERSON, W. H. ROBERSON, L. C. ROBISON, J. F. SERGESON, T. M. SMITH, L. W. SMITH, W. C. SMITH, W. H. STANSELL, J. W. STEADMAN, C. B. SWAIM, J. R. TUCKER, N. A. VIRES, C. G. VIRES, H. VIRES, J. F. WALKER, M. F. WALKER, W. C. WALKER, W. H. WEAVER, L. A. WEAVER, R. M. WHARTON, P. E. WHITT, A. C. WOMBLE, T. J. YOUNG, A. E. YOUNG, J. F. YOUNG, J. G. YOUNG, L. V. YOUNG, M. V. YOUNG, W. S. 9

TH DISTRICT

DARNELL SPRINGS ABERNATHY, J. J.

66

ATKINS, LEO BABB, T. L. BERRY, F. A. BILLINGS, J. D. BILLINGS, W. L. BOLDING, A. H. BOLDING, J. C. BRICE, W. B. BROOKS, TOM BROWDER, G. E. BURKS, J. R. BURKS, W. E. CALVERY, C. J. CALVERY, J. A. CALVERY, R. H. CALVERY, T. W. CARROLL, D. H. CARROLL, J. M. CARROLL, J. M. CARROLL, MONTROSE CARROLL, OSCAR CARROLL, R. E. CARROLL, T. A. CARROLL, TAYLOR CASTLEBERRY, SOLUS CHILDERS, L. V. COLN, B. D. COLN, CHESTER COLN, I. C. COLN, J. A. COLN, J. L. COLN, SAM COPLIN, S. C. CORNELIUS, D. E. CULVERY, T. J. DAVIS, W. H. DAVIS, W. H. DICKERSON, J. M. DICKERSON, W. F. DRISKELL, J. R. DURBIN, S. B. EMMONS, M. J. EMMONS, W. H. FARRIS, E. J. FARRIS, H. C. FARRIS, J. A. FARRIS, ODUS FARRIS, T. L. FOWLER, LEE GLIDEWELL, ALVEY GOOCH, L. GRAY, D. G.

GRAY, J. F. GRAY, J. W. GRAY, M. C. GRAY, ODOM GRAY, ODUS GRAY, R. G. GRAY, U. G. GRAY, W. C. HARDIN, E. J. HATCHCOCK, W. P. HYNEMAN, J. Y. JONES, J. M. JONES, W. H. KING, G. J. KNIGHT, J. E. KNIGHT, J. L. KNIGHT, WILLIE LAMBERT, A. LAMBERT, C. B. LAMBERT, D. G. LAMBERT, LEWIS LAMBERT, W. L. S. LATTA, W. O. LUMBY, J. G. MANUAL, H. L. MANUEL, A. B. MANUEL, J. D. MANUEL, J. R. MARLER, C. P. MARLER, HUGH MARTINDALE, C. E. MATHIS, M. D. MCAFEE, J. W. MCAFEE, N. A. MICHIE, G. G. MILLER, W. M. MILLS, J. E. MITCHELL, C. MITCHELL, L. A. MOORE, J. D. MOORE, J. H. NICHOLS, JOHN NICHOLS, W. A. NICHOLS, W. T. NORTH, J. W. PINKSTON, J. PRESLEY, J. B. PRICE, P. H. PRICE, T. M. RICKMAN, B. J. RICKMAN, J. A. RODGERS, A. M.

RODGERS, W. M. RUSHING, S. L. RUSHING, T. D. RUSHING, W. R. SANDERS, J. R. SIMPKINS, E. B. SIMPKINS, J. D. SINGLETON, G. W. SMITH, E. L. SMITH, J. W. SMITH, M. K. SOUTH, JOHN SOUTH, LEVI STONE, CHESTER STUTTS, S. E. THOMAS, J. E. THOMAS, T. L. TUCKER, ELI TUCKER, G. B. VOYLES, A. J. WADE, R. WADE, C. P. WARDLOW, H. S. WILLIAMS, TOM WOODS, T. F. YOUNG, OLEN 9

TH DISTRICT

PEBBLE HILL

ABERCROMBIE, I. F. ABERCROMBIE, J. M. ARMSTRONG, DAVE ATKINS, HENRY BAKER, J. W. BELL, C. B. BOLDING, H. H. BOSWELL, J. T. BRAZIER, H. C. BREWER, J. M. BROOKS, J. T. BROWN, JOHN BRYANT, T. J. BURKS, D. L. BURKS, J. F. BURKS, KELSY CARROLL, S. E. CHAMBERS, A. J. CHAMBERS, C. D. CHAMBERS, C. H. CHAMBERS, ED CHAMBERS, G. H.

67

CHAMBERS, G. L. CHAMBERS, H. C. CHAMBERS, S. V. CHAMBERS, SAM CHAMBERS, W. L. CHILDERS, J. W. COLE, C. P. COOKSEY, D. W. COOKSEY, S. E. CUMMINGS, ISAAC CUNNINGHAM, ODE DICKERSON, J. M. DONNELL, T. S. ENGLISH, W. L. FARRIS, F. P. FARRIS, S. D. FORD, ALLEN FOWLER, J. A. FULLWOOD, F. H. FULLWOOD, T. J. GEORGE, J. F. GLIDEWELL, A. M. GRAY, J. W. GREER, T. E. HENSON, T. J. HILL, W. T. HOOKER, E. P. HOPKINS, T. W. HOWARD, B. L. HOWARD, J. L. HOWARD, J. M. HUGGINS, L. R. HUMPHRIES, J. W. HURLEY, G. E. HURLEY, W. P. JORDAN, C. R. JORDAN, L. M. KENDRICK, J. W. LEE, C. S. LEE, G. W. LEE, R. E. LITTLEJOHN, W. L. LUSTER, GARFIELD MARLER, ODEL MCLEOD, W. E. MILLS, M. M. MOORE, J. D. MOORE, J. R. MOORE, J. W. MOORE, W. C. MOORE, W. T. MURRY, A. W.

NICHOLS, C. E. PERKINS, W. P. PETTIGREW, F. H. PETTIGREW, I. M. REID, JR, J. A. REID, O. L. REID, R. L. REID, SR, J. A. RHODES, JOE RICKMAN, J. W. RICKMAN, L. A. RICKMAN, W. H. RICKMAN. S. M. ROSS, LON SMITH, D. B. SMITH, R. L. SMITH, W. L. D. SPRINGER, D. A. SUMMINGS, JOHN SUTTON, W. J. TILLMAN, W. T. WARDLOW , H. C. WARDLOW, J. R. WARDLOW, M. M. WHITAKER, J. M. WHITAKER, L. L. WHITAKER, W. D. WILDS, L. C. WILDS, T. J. WILLIAMS, T. B. WINNINGHAM, SOL WOOD, ARLIE WOOD, J. W. WOOD, JAMES 10

TH DISTRICT

STANTONVLLE PRECINCT ADKINS, W. R. ALLISON, C. J. BARNES, D. W. BARNES, J. C. BARNES, R. S. BARNES, T. D. BASHART, J. W. BEARDEN, J. K. BLASINGAME, G. B. BOSHART, J. R. BOSHART, U. R. BRITTON, J. L. BRITTON, J. W.

BROOKS, J. C. BROWDER, E. L. BROWDER, H. S. BROWDER, J. F. BROWDER, W. O. BROWN, C. M. BROWN, J. F. BROWN, JR, J. F. BROWN, T. H. BROWN, W. P. BURKEEN, C. L. BURKS, A. I. BURKS, G. M. BURKS, W. S. BUTLER, O. L. CAIN, T. A. CARMAN, N. E. CARROLL, C. E. CARROLL, J. C. CARROLL, POLK CARROLL, W. W. CASE, W. H. CHANDLER, J. L. CHAPMAN, J. M. CHRISTOPHER, A. W. CLACK, W. R. CLARY, W. C. CLIFTON, C. E. COBB, A. W. CODY, H. W. COLE, J. M. COMBS, DEE COMBS, H. A. COOK, A. M. COOK, J. A. CRABTREE, J. A. CRABTREE, J. M. CULVER, J. W. DANCER, J. H. DICKEY, T. M. DILLON, J. L. ELAM, A. B. ELAM, C. R. ELAM, J. W. ELAM, W. C. ERWIN, D. N. ERWIN, L. M. ERWIN, L. M. ERWIN, N. D. EVANS, BOB FANN, W. M. FLATT, F. P.

68

FULBRIGHT, J. W. GARRISON, E. L. GARRISON, H. H. GATELY, I. L. GEORGE , J. R. GEORGE, J. A. GILCHRIST, J. M. GILCHRIST, W. H. GIPSON, J. B. GLADISH, L. A. GLIDEWELL, J. C. GLIDEWELL, J. H. GRAY, C. J. GRAY, JNO M GRAY, L. A. GREER, T. B. GUTHERY, L. O. HARKIN, J. P. HARMON, W. C. HENDRIX, G. L. HIGGINS, A. B. HONEYCUT, H. T. HOOVER, C M HOOVER, H. J. HOUSTON, L. H. HOWELL, J. G. HURLEY, J. R. INMAN, J. F. JONES, H. L. JONES, J. C. JONES, J. L. JORDAN, J. T. KENDRICK, E. A. KENDRICK, G. W. KENDRICK, J. D. KENDRICK, J. L. KENDRICK, L. B. KENDRICK, R. D. KENDRICK, T. A. KILLINGSWORTH, J. K. KILLINGSWORTH, T. K. LUTON, L .L. MASSENGILL, E. R. MASSENGILL, W. D. MASSENGILL, W. M. MAY, J. W. MCDANIEL, A. A. MCDANIEL, E. C. MCDANIEL, J. P. MCDANIEL, L. MCDANIEL, W. L. MCKENZIE, A. C.

MCKENZIE, C. B. MCKENZIE, D. A. MCKENZIE, M. M. MCLAIN, W. S. MEEK, W. A. MELTON, C., A. MELTON, E. E. MELTON, J. B. MELTON, W. B. MICHIE, D. D. MICHIE, E. MICHIE, J. R. MICHIE, R. W. MILFORD, J. L. MOORE, J. C. MOORE, J. F. MULDER, D. G. PATRICK, M. L. PERKINS, C. G. PERKINS, E. S. PERKINS, G. O. PETTIGREW, G. L. PETTIGREW, H. A. PETTIGREW, L. L. PETTIGREW, W. E. PHILLIPS, J. K. PLUNK, C. F. POUNDS, J. B. POUNDS, J. C. POUNDS, J. L. POUNDS, S. J. PRATT, E. D. PRATT, J. B. PRATT, OTIS PRATT, T. J. RAINS, C. C. RAINS, J. R. RICH, J. R. RICKMAN, H. L. RICKMAN, JOE RIDDLE, J. A. RINKS, D. F. RINKS, W. G. ROBERDS, R. L. ROWSEY, W. E. SANDERS, E. G. SCOTT, F. P. SCOTT, L. C. SMITH, C. F. SMITH, F. G. SMITH, H. J. SMITH, R. S.

SMITH, S. B. SMITH, W. B. SOWELL, DAVID STEELE, J. O. STEWART, G. H. STORY, J. E. STORY, O. P. SURRATT, A. J. SURRATT, D. C. SURRATT, G. C. TANNER, G. W. TAYLOR, J. F. TAYLOR, JOHN TEMPLETON, A. D. TEMPLETON, BILL TEMPLETON, J. L. TEMPLETON, J. R. THOMAS, F. M. TILGHRUAN, L. T. VANDIVER, J. F. VICKERY, A. A. VICKERY, W. L. VINSON, E. R. VINSON, H. O. WAGONER, C. J. WAGONER, J. F. WALL, R. W. WARD, C. H. WARD, F. L. WARD, G. C. WARD, J. H. WHITE, A. M. WHITE, B. C. WHITE, LEE WHITE, W. L. WHORTON, T. M. WILBANKS, E. O. WILKINS, E. C. WILKINS, T. M. WILKS, J. R. WILKS, SR, J. R. WINNINGHAM, G. R. WRIGHT, J. T. WYATT, E. W. WYATT, J. S. WYATT, L. L. WYATT, O. D. WYATT, SAM WYATT, W. L. YOUNGER, W. C. 10 TH DISTRICT

69

LAWTON PRECINCT ALEXANDER, J. E. ALLISON, G. A. BALLARD, M. M. BELL, R. B. BROWDER, A. M. BROWDER, R. A. BROWDER, T. C. BROWNING. R. L. BRUMLEY, M. C. CAGE, L. L. CALLAWAY, J. H. CANDAR, E. R. CHANDLER, J. O. COLE, W. J. FRESHOUR, J. V. GILCHRIST, A. H. GILCHRIST, J. C. GILCHRIST, J. L. GILCHRIST, J. R. GILCHRIST, W. A. GOAR, W. H. HOCKADAY, H. G. HOLMES, RILEY HOWELL, D. P. HUNT, S. R. KIDDY, GEO KIDDY, J. W. KIDDY, W. S. KILLINGSWORTH, J. W. LANDRETH, J. E. LANDRETH, J. W. LANDRETH, O. J. LEE, J. C. LEE, S. C. LINDSEY, JACK LUTTRELL, R. W. MCKENZIE, H. M. MIDDLETON, F. G. MILFORD, W. L. MOORE, ANDREW MOORE, BOB MOORE, WILL NICHOLS, A. J. PETTIGREW, D. A. POUNDS, C. B. POUNDS, F. M. RAINES, L. A. RICKMAN, R. J. SANDERS, H. C.

SANDERS, J. L. SANDERS, R. M. SAUNDERS, W. A. SIPES, J. P. SIPES, W. E. SMITH, O. S. SMITH, R. G. SMITH, W. J. SPENCER, GEO VINSON, G. H. WAGONER, E. A. WALKER, D. R. WALKER, E. C. WALKER, G. C. WALKER, J. A. WALKER, M. R. WILKERSON, J. D. WILLIAMS, J. D. WILSON, JR, J. P. WILSON, W. H. 11

TH DISTRICT

LEAPWOOD PRECINCT

ALEXANDER, D. E. ALEXANDER, F. M. ALEXANDER, U. E. AUSTIN, J. BARHAM, H. A. BARNES, J. D. BARNES, J. L. BRADLEY, LESS BRUMLEY, J. P. BURKEENS, S. W. BURTON, R. H. CAROTHERS, B. L. CAROTHERS, J. A. CAROTHERS, J. H. CAROTHERS, J. M. CLAYTON, E. L. CLAYTON, R. M. COMER, L. A. CRUMBY, C. K. DAVIS, M. H. DAVIS, W. M. DROKE, S. L. EASON, J. A. FINLEY, J. M. FINLEY, TOM FREEMAN, J. P. FRIDLEY, G. L. FRIDLEY, J. F. GADDY, E. L.

GARNER, J. W. GEAN, J. H. HAIR, C. R. HAIR, J. B. HAIR, J. C. HAND, J. B. HARDIN, D. D. HARRIS, G. L. HARRIS, J. A. HARRIS, J. L. HARRIS, M. A. HARRIS, M. L. HARRIS, R. L. HARRIS, T. L. HENDRIX, J. L. HORTON, H. H. HOWARD, D. J. HYSMITH, J. D. INGRAM, J. O. INMAN, W. T. JACKSON, J. P. JACKSON, W. H. KERBY, J. B. KERBY, J. E. KERBY, N. KIRK, A. G. LANDRETH, C. L. LANDRETH, R. J. LEE, J. F. LOTT, D. H. LOTT, M. K. LOTT, O. H. LOTT, W. L. MARTIN, H. H. MARTIN, J. E. MARTIN, J. T. MARTIN, W. A. MARTIN, W. J. MASSENGILL, R. G. MASSENGILL, W. J. MCGARSITY, J. T. MILLER, J. H. MILLER, J. T. MILLS, H. NASH, SILL NEEDHAM, J. C. NEEDHAM, M. W. PARROTT, W. H. PEARSON, W. R. PEEPLES, J. C. PLUNK, A. A. PLUNK, A. A.

70

PLUNK, E. N. PLUNK, J. D. PLUNK, W. J. PONDS, J. T. PYRON, J. C. PYRON, J. R. PYRON, S. A. RANKIN, J. R. ROBINSON , J. A. ROBINSON, M. A. SEWELL, D. K. SEWELL, W. E. STEVENS, C. C. STEVENS, J. E. SURRATT, G. L. SURRATT, J. G. SWAIM, J. H. TACKER, C. L. TACKER. T. M. TALBOTT, N. P. TAYLOR, J. A. TUCKER, M. C. VIRES, G. A. WALKER, M. C. WALKER, W. H. WHARTON, C. E. WHARTON, J. F. WHARTON, J. H. WHARTON, J. M. WHARTON, L. O. WHARTON, R. B. WILKERSON, J. N. WILKERSON, R. M. WILLIAMS, W. E. WRIGHT, H. W. YOUNG, J. A.

12TH

DISTRICT

MT ZION BISHOP, A. D. BISHOP, R. L. BISHOP, S. E. BRIDGES, E. L. BURRASS, J. L. CANADY, W. V. CARSON, J. B. CROWDER, C. H. DALLAS , OSCAR DALLAS, G. M. EVANS, B. L. FINLEY, E. L.

GARRETT, W. L. GARY, J. C. GARY, OLIVER GEORGE, H. B. GIPSON, R. A. GOFF, E. R. HEADEEN, C. O. HILL, J. H. HILL, J. T. HILL, LIGE HOLDER, W. J. HOLLIN, A. N. HOPPER, H. C. JAMERSON, J. E. JOHNSON, D. G. JOHNSON, R. M. KENNEDY, C. W. LEDBETTER, J. E. LEDBETTER, W. M. LESLEY, ISAAC LESLEY, W. O. MARTIN, C. E. MATLOCK, E. C. MATLOCK, H. L. MCCOMBS, J. C. MCCOY, J. W. MEEK, H. M. MEEK, LEE MEEK, O. MEEK, R. D. MEEK, S. L. MOORE, J. A. MOORE, J. C. MOORE, J. I. MOORE, JOHN MOORE, T. L. MOORE, W. A. MOORE, W. N. MORRIS, J. S. MORRIS, N. M. NASH, J. B. ONEAL, W. PITTS, W. P. ROBERSON, K. F. SCOTT, J. L. SEATON, W. I. SEWELL, A. M. SEWELL, D. A. SEWELL, J. L. SEWELL, J. O. SHELTON, G. A. SHELTON, J. L.

SHRIVENESS, W. A. SMITH, J. P. H. SMITH, R. H. WADE, H. B. WADE, J. A. WADE, S. P. WEEKS, D. M. WILLIAMS, R. L. WRIGHT, G. G. WRIGHT, J. A. WRIGHT, J. R. WRIGHT, T. N. YOUNG, R. G. 13

TH DISTRICT

WEATHERFORDS BANKS, B. R. BRASHER, W. I. BROOKS, J. L. BROWDER, DICK BROWDER, J. R. BROWN, C. A. BROWN, J. C. BROWN, J. S. BROWN, W. C. COLE, J. A. DAMRON, GOLBEN DAMRON, J. D. DAWSON, G. W. DAWSON, P. T. DICKEY, L. C. DICKEY, MACK DICKEY, WILL ENGLISH, H. E. ERWIN, J. W. EVANS, WILL GARDNER, A. N. GARRETT, J. E. GILTON, P. F. GOSS, A. E. HARDIN, J. H. HENSON, J. L. HOCKADAY, E. H. HOCKADAY, J. L. HOCKADAY, W. T. HORTON, H. S. HORTON, J. M. HUMPHRIES, W. A. JONES, J. W. LOCKET, M. L. LUTTRETT, M. S.

71

MCCLAIN, J. D. MICHAEL, J. C. MILLER, J. M. MILLER, JOHN MILLER, M. L. MOORE, G. W. MOORE, J. C. PERKINS, BOSS RAINS, A. E. RAINS, R. L. RAY, BLACIE RAY, R. B. RAY, RICK RAY, WILL RAY, Z. H. RICHARDS, E. F. SANDERS, ARTHUR SANDERS, M. L. SANDERS, T. K. SMITH, W. A. SMITH, W. J. SURRATT, DOLIE VINSON, A. WALL, D. N. WARDLOW, D. W. WARDLOW, I. D. WARDLOW, O. M. WARDLOW, OVIES ? WARDLOW, W. R. WEATHERFORD, J. A. WEATHERFORD, J. N. WILLIS, DAN WILLIS, J. M. WILLIS, J. W. WILLIS, T. C. YOUNGER, J. A. 14

TH DISTRICT

CHEWALLA PRECINCT

AUSTIN, E. B. AUSTIN, H. C. BARNES, J. C. BARNHILL, PHILIP BAXTER, E. M. BAXTER, M. N. BAXTER, P. M. BAXTER, W. A. BENNETT, D. D. BENNETT, R. A. BENNETT, V. L. BLANKENSHIP, E. L.

BURROW, A. H. BUSBY, H. B. CAPOOT, W. W. CARDVILLE, A. J. CARTER, B. J. CARTER, C. W. CHILDRESS, T. J. COKE, P. W. COTTON, J. H. DAVIS, C. W. DERRYBERRY, A. D. DERRYBERRY, H. C. DERRYBERRY, H. R. DERRYBERRY, J. C. DERRYBERRY, J. M. DERRYBERRY, J. W. L. DERRYBERRY, P. W. DERRYBERRY, T. L. DERRYBERRY, W. W. DICK, W. M. DIXON, D. L. DIXON, J. M. EAKER, J. D. EAKER, JOHN EAKER, PAUL FAULKNER, A. L. FULTON, J. R. GRAHAM, W. M. GURLEY, J. W. GURLEY, W. M. HAWKINS, J. F. HAYNES, JAMES HENDRIX, R. L. HOWELL, W. G. HURLEY, C. L. HURLEY, G. W. HURLEY, H. R. HURLEY, J. F. HURLEY, J. I. HURLEY, L. A. HURLEY, T. J. JOHNSON, J. W. JONES, GEORGE JONES, J. B. KELLY, G. W. KELLY, J. A. KING, A . J. KING, GROVER KING, J. L. KING, J. M. KING, L. D. KING, P. J.

KIRK, J. C. LAUGHLIN, T. M. LEATHERWOOD, C. V. LEATHERWOOD, J. A. LEDBETTER, G. B. LEDBETTER, J. W. LEDBETTER, T. A. MARTIN, S. MARTINDALE, J. D. MARTINDALE, L. L. MCALPIN, J. F. MCCRARY, G. M. MCCULLER, J. M. MCCULLER, L. S. MCCULLER, L. W. MOORE, W. W. MORROW, L. H. MORSE, P. B. NEIL, CLEO NEWELL, J. C. NEWELL, J. D. OLIVE, R. J. OSBORN, A. C. OSBORN, J. A. PETTY, J. O. PETTY, J. R. PRICE, J. W. PRICE, P. H. PRICE, T. L. PRINCE, C. L. ROBERSON, G. C. SHANNON, H. B. SMITH, E. C. SMITH, J. C. SMITH, T. L. SMITH, W. J. SPRINGER, W. W. STANFIELD, J. T. SUGGS, B. F. SUGGS, C. A. SURRATT, W. P. ? TURNER, C. C. TURNER, G. W. TURNER, R. F. WREN, L. A. YORK, JOE YORK, ROBERT 14

TH DISTRICT

GUYS PRECINCT ALEXANDER, HENRY

72

ARCHER, H. A. ARMSTRONG, ANDREW AUSTIN, E. G. AUTEN, N. J. BARNHILL, LEANDER BARNHILL, LUKE BECK, O. H. BERRYMAN, W. J. BRIDGES, C. B BURNS, R. L. BURRUS, BOB CAPOOTH, ED CAPOOTH, EDGAR ERWOOD, FRANK FARRIS, R. A. FAULKNER, BOB FULCHER, JOE GREEN, E. C. GREEN, R. C. HAMM, J. H. HARDIN, G. HAYNES, WALTER HOCKADAY, J. F. HODGE, BILL HOOKER, D. R. HOOKER, G. B. HOOKER, T. B. HOOKER, W. B. HOUSTON, HOWARD HOUSTON, J. S. HOUSTON, R. M. HUGGINS, L. M. JAGGARS, W. V. JAMES, W. H. JENNINGS, GUY JOHNSON, A. B. JOHNSON, SAM KIRK, LEVI KIRK, MARION KIRKLAND, L. A. LAIN, D. LUSTER, FAYETTE LUSTER, GEORGE LUSTER, JEFF LUSTER, S. H. LUSTER, WILL LUSTER, WILL MARONEY, MOSE MARTIN, R. W. MATLOCK, W. G. MCLAUGHLIN, J. F. MEEKS, E. G.

MEEKS, J. E. MEEKS, J. L. MERIDITH, BILL MILLER, G. H. MILLER, J. A. MILLER, N. V. MILLSAPS, G. L. MITCHELL, J. M. MITCHELL. J. R. MUCKELROY, J. F. MULLINS, ALFRED MULLINS, J. C. NICHOLS, LEE PHILLIPS, J. P. PHILLIPS, L. J. RAMER, BOB RAMER, NELSON RICHARDS, CASH ROBINSON, DEE ROBINSON, T. F. ROWSEY, G. W. SANDERS, J. M. SAVAGE, JACK SHARP, GEORGE SHARP, ROY SHARP, W. E. SMITH, D. E. SMITH, J. M. SMITH, JOE SOUTH, W. E. SOUTH, W. P. STEGALL, H. C. STEGALL, HENRY STRICKLAND, JOHN STRICKLAND, S. TANNER, R. H. TATE, J. E. WARDLOW, J. A. WARDLOW, J. W. WARDLOW, OSCAR WARDLOW, V. B. WATSON, TOM WHORLEY, J. A. WHORLEY, J. R. 15

th DISTRICT

ADAMSVILLE ABERNATHY, A. K. ABERNATHY, H. A ABERNATHY, J. S. ADAMS, F. P.

ARENDALL, C. H. BAKER, E. L. BARNELL, J. M. BARNES, T. L. BARNETT, BUD BARNETT, J. M. BAYSINGER, P. L. BISHOP, J. M. BLACKWOOD, J. I. BLAKELY, P. A. BOLEYN, J. A. BOLTON, I. H. BOONE, BILLIE BRASSFIELD, E. M. BREWER, J. L. BRIDGES, T. G. BROWN, C. B. BROWN, CLYDE BROWN, G. G. BROWN, O. R. BROWN, L. W. BROWN, R. L. BROWN, W. BRUMLEY, ED CAROTHERS, M. L. CAROTHERS, O. E. CAROTHERS, W. G. CAROTHERS, W. J. CARROLL, F. V. CARROLL, G. B. CARROLL, J. D. CARROLL, J. E. CARROLL, J. L. CARROLL, J. S. CARROLL, W. A. CARROLL, W. C. CARROLL, W. O. CHANDLER, BLAIN COATS, A. Z. COCHRAN, W. A. COMBS, GUY COOKSEY, DAVE COPELAND, C. L. COPELAND, J. E. COPELAND, J. M. COTTONER, R. L. COWER, C. F. COX, A. S. COX, A. W. COX, H. J. COX, TRAVIS CROW, E. S.

73

CROW, HENRY CRUM, H. H. CRUM, J. H. CURRY, J. R. DERRYBERRY, B. W. L. DETHRIDGE, J. M. DICKEY, J. J. DOLLAR, A. S. DOLLAR, E. M. DOLLAR, E. N. DOLLAR, J. E. DONALDSON, G. W. DONALDSON, W. C. DONALSON, A. V. DOSS, J. B. DOSS, W. H. DROKE, J. M. DROKE, L. G. DROKE, O. L. DUNCAN, J. K. P. DUNCAN, O. E. DUNCAN, WALTER DURBIN, M. D. ENGLISH, G. W. ENGLISH, H. F. ENGLISH, J. A. ENGLISH, J. T. ENGLISH, W. H. EVANS, ODELL FARRIS, J. W. FARRIS, L. E. FARRIS, N. E. FINGER, J. H. FOSTER, WILL FRANKS, W. W. GARNER, J. C. GENTON , H. C.? GILCHRIST, G. C. GLOVER, RILEY GOAD, T. H. GRAY, C. T. GRAY, F. M. ? GRAY, FRANK GRAY, HENRY GRAY, R. T. SR HAMILTON, JASE HAMILTON, JON W. HARRIS, B. S. HARRIS, GUS HARRIS, H. A. HARRIS, J. J. HARRIS, J. W.

HARRIS, L. G. HARRIS, W. S. HARRISON, BARNETT HARVEY, B. X. HAWKINS, R. L. HEATH, W. H. JONES, R. L. KEMP, B. L. KEMP, CHAS KEMP, E. E. KING, D. J. LANDRETH, J. C. LANDRETH, L. W. LEATH, ARTHUR LIDSEY, EBIN LITTLEFIELD, HENRY LITTLEFIELD, JAS L. LITTLEFIELD, JASON LITTLEFIELD, JNO L. LITTLEFIELD, W. P. LUCUS, TANK MAJORS, C. F. MAJORS, R. B. MARTIN, J. P. MAYFIELD, W. A. MCBRIDE, H. J. MCBRIDGE, E. J. MCGARITY, W. F. MCKENZIE, G. M. MCKENZIE, J. M. MEEK, A. M. MEEK, CHAS MEEK, J. W. MEEK, LOUNNRY ? MESSER, DOSS MILLER, J. M. MILLER, L. D. MILLER, W. D. MILLER, WALTER MILLS, R. A. MOFFETT, ODE MOORE, CARROLL MOORE, J. W. MOORE, J. W. MOORE, WESLEY MUSE, WILL NEWELL, B. N. NEWELL, V. NICHOLS, J. C. NIX, R. A. NORWOOD, J. H. OLDHAM, KINNEY

OSMENT, T. J. PARRISH, W. E. PEERY, GARVIN PEERY, J. M. PEERY, WM PERKINS, A. M. PERKINS, C. C. PERKINS, S. P. PETTIGREW, H. A. PETTIGREW, H. M. PETTIGREW, JOE PHILLIPS, D. L. PHILLIPS, H. L. PHILLIPS, R. A. PIGG, M. D. PLUNK, D. H. PLUNK, DAVID PLUNK, W. J. PUGH, J. A. PUGH, J. C. PYRON, G. L. ROBERTSON, E. D. RODGERS, FRANK RODGERS, H. P. SCOTT, H. A. SCOTT, H. F. SCOTT, J. B. SCOTT, J. F. SCOTT, JOHN W. SCOTT, NEAL SCOTT, R. B. SCOTT, R. F. SEATON, ELMER SEWELL, J. C. L. SEWELL, L. J. SHARP, A. F. SHARP, C. SHARP, CHAS SIPES, G. A. SMITH, E. L. SMITH, OSCAR SMITH, ROBERT SMITH, S. B. SPENCER, BOBO STANLEY, R. G. STANTON, J. A. STATON, V. W. SURRATT, H. SURRATT, INWIN SURRATT, J. A. SURRATT, JAKE SURRATT, LOGAN

74

SURRATT, LUTHER SURRATT, W. A. SWEAT, J. C. SWEAT, Z. L. TACKER, A. J. TAYLOR, H. B. TAYLOR, J. C. TAYLOR, MORRIS TAYLOR, W. E. TIDWELL, C. G. TIDWELL, H. G. TIDWELL, HUBERT TIDWELL, J. M. TIDWELL, U. G. TIDWELL, W. J. TIDWELL, W. L. VARNELL, W. C. VINSON, C. R. VINSON, H. A. WADE, R. E. WALKER, E. M. WALKER, JOHN WALKER, W. T. WALLS, J. T. WALLS, W. F. WESSON, J. R. WHITE, W. B. WILKINS, J. F WILLIAMS, A. S. WILLIAMS, M. J. WILSON, C. L. WILSON, F. G. WILSON, J. P. WILSON, J. S. WILSON, O. C. WILSON, R. C. WOLVERTON, J. T. WYNN, ALONZO WYNN, GEO WYNN, HARRY WYNN, PEYTON YOUNGER, W. J. B. 16

TH DISTRICT

ROCKY KNOB A. M. AMERSON BROWDER W. L. BULLIMAN, U. N. BULLMAN, S. H. BURROW, R. R. CONE, B. A.

COSBY, L. J. CROWE, W. L. DAVIS, G. W. GARRETT, B. J. GATELY, U. S. GODWIN, C. D. JACKSON, J. B. JETER, J. C. KEEN, J. N. LEDFORD, R. W. LEE, J. E. LEE, TID LEE, W. D. LOTT, BROSE LOTT, H. O. LOTT, H. S. LOTT, M. B. LOTT, T. J. MANESS, G. R. MANESS, H. K. MANESS, W. F. MASSENGILL, B. S. MASSENGILL, C. L. MASSENGILL, J. F. MELTON, JESSIE MOORE, W. C. ONEAL, B. H. ONEAL, G. E. ONEAL, HORNER ONEAL, J. H. ONEAL, JORDAN PLUNK, D. -- PLUNK, EARNEST PLUNK, ED PLUNK, HOLLY PLUNK, O. H. PLUNK, R. L. PLUNK, W. H. PUCKETT, A. L. RANKIN, R. N. ROBERSON, T. C. ROBINSON, C. E. ROBINSON, J. N. STEGALL, W. B. SURRATT, F. B. TACKER, DALTON TACKER, T. M. TALBOT, W. C. TIDWELL, T. W. VIRES, GROVER VIRES, T. J. WATKINS, M. L.

WATKINS, W. A. WILLIAMS, G. W. WILLIAMS, J. H. WILLIAMS, R. L. YOUNG, J. E. YOUNG, J. R. 17

TH DISTRICT

MCNAIRY PRECINCT ARCHER, A. B. ARCHER, C. C. ARCHER, H. C. ARCHER, J. L. ARCHER, J. M. BOO, J. H. BOYD, H. C. CHESHIER, P. E. CLAYTON, A. N. CLAYTON, F. W. CEOSS, E. F. CLAYTON, H. L. CLAYTON, JOHN CLAYTON, W. F. DAVIDSON, C. H. DAVIDSON, M. V. DEATON, FRANK DEATON, R. S. DRAPER, GABE FLOYD, F. F. FLOYD, F. J. FREEMAN, R. A. GRIFFIN, J. W. GRISWELL, J. W. GRISWELL, WILL HALSTEAD, J. I. HALSTEAD, J. W. HARRIS, BOB HARRIS, H. C. HARRIS, T. G. HARRIS, W. M. HARRIS, W. R. HENRY, A. C. HENRY, C. H. HENRY, J. R. HENRY, JOEL HENRY, JOHN HENRY, M. A. HENRY, SAM HENRY, TILMAN HODGES, J. E. HODGES, J. E.

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HUGHES, D. W. HURST, C. Y. HURST, QINNN HURST, W. E. JAMES, W. F. JOHNSON, BILL KING, OSCAR KIRBY, HURLEY LAUGHLIN, C. M. LOTT, A. B. MAJORS, T. M. MCCANN, T. S. MCCANN, W. A. MCCARTER, J. D. MCCASKELL, L. T. MCCASKILL, J. A. MCNEIL, A. A. MITCHELL, J. E. MOORE, W. T. MOSLEY, WILL OVERMAN, E. M. OWEN, J. N. OZMENT, S. E. PEARSON, SAM PLUNK, J. H. PLUNK, J. W. PLUNK, J. W. S. PLUNK, W. B. PUTMAN, FRANK PUTMAN, J. F. RICH, D. N. ROBINSON, E. A. RONSE, M. L. ROSS, J. R. ROSSER, W. C. ROUSE, JOHN ROUSE, M. A. ROUSE, WALTER RUSSELL, S. F. SANDERS, WILL SMITH, BILL SMITH, J. S. SMITH, JOHN SMITH, KIN SMITH, LOGAN SMITH, M. A. SMITH, N. S. SMITH, R. L. SMITH, S. S. SMITH, STEVE STANSELL, TOM STOUT, H. E.

STOUT, L. A. STOVALL, J. A. SWAIM, J. J. TEDFORD, W. E. WALKER, C. A. WAMBLE, W. B. WARD, J. G. WEAVER, H. A. WEAVER, J. B. WEAVER, L. B. WILLIAMS, R. H. WILSON, A. J. WILSON, J. F. WILSON, S. H. WILSON, W. A. WILSON, W. G. WILSON, WM 18

TH DISTRICT

CYPRESS PRECINCT BALDWIN, J. L. BARNES, R. B. BLANKENSHIP BLASINGAME, G. L. BODIFORD, A. J. BODIFORD, LESTER BOWERS, A. BROWER, L. BURROW, BILL BURROW, J. A. BUTLER, C. J. BUTLER, J. A. BUTLER, J. E. BUTLER, J. M. BUTLER, J. S. CARTER, G. F. CARTER, J. A. CLAYTON, FRANK CLAYTON, O .C CRABB, C. C. CRABB, P. A. CRABB, W. A. CROCKER, J. M. CURRY, W. L. DEMMING, C. W. DEMMING, J. W. DIXON, T. J. FLOYD, T. J. FREEMAN, I. M. FREEMAN, J. D. FREEMAN, W. A.

GARRETT, J. L. GEORGE, CLARK GOOLSBY, B. R. GRAHAM, C. L. HOWELL, B. F. HOWELL, J. V. HOWELL, M. H. JACKSON, MONROE JERNIGAN, R. A. JONES, W. M. KENEDY, D. L. KENNEDY, P KING, E. O. KIRK, R. C. LACEFIELD, T. R. MCLEOD, H. M. MEEKS, J. L. MERRELL, R. M. MILLSAPS,. M. J. MOHONDRO, P. J. MULLENS, M. N. NELMS, S. F. ONSTEAD, J. R. OSBORN, MARVIN PARMLEY, JIM PATMAN, W. H. PITTMAN, A. S. PITTMAN, J. T. PITTMAN, R. Z. RAMER, J. T. RAMER, R. L. REED, A. C. REED, J. D. REED, JOHN RICHERSON, M RIDGESELL, G. V. SHANNON, J. W. SHELTON, D. W. SMITH, A. B SMITH, S. M. STOVALL, W. W. THOMAS, W. E. TRAINUM, S. S. WALLACE, A. C. WILMETH, G. W. WILMETH, M. S. WILMETH, R. L. WILMETH, T. B. WOLF, G. W. WOOTEN, D. A. WREN, L. A. WREN, R. P.

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WREN, WM. N. WRIGHT, A. L. YOUNG, D. B. 19

TH DISTRICT

BETHEL SPRINGS PREC

ARX, LEOY ? BALDRIDGE, IKE BARNES, BRUCE BASHAM, E. F. BASHAM, GEO BLACKMAN, JNO BONSUR, ? R. H. BROOKS, S. S. BRUSH, T. M. CARTER, A. J. CARTER, J. R. CASE, J. R. CAUSEY, CARL CHESHIER, E. U. CHESHIER, J. J. CHESHIER, R. B. CHESHIER, T. R. COBB, J. A. CROSKEY, BOB CROSKEY, JOHN CROSKEY, TOM CROSKEY, W. R. CROW, J. H. CROW, SAM CUDE, HENRY CUDE, J. M. DAVIS, T. S. DEATON, J. E. DENNIE, HENRY DILLON, L. D. DILLON, W. A. DISMUKE, J. R. DOSS, J. C. DROKE, J. L. ELLIS, BILL ELLIS, DICK ERWIN, BOBO ERWIN, GEORGE ETHERIDGE, G. J. ETHERIDGE, R. D. EVAND, E. M. EVANS, C----- FAMMING, ? A. W. FLOYD, ADAM FLOYD, BOB FLOYD, SAM

FULGHAM, A. G. GAGE, C. C. GAGE, C. R. GAGE, H. D. GAGE, J. T. GAGE, OSCAR GAGE, R. GARNER, F. M. GILCHRIST, VICTOR GIPSON, W. E. E. GRANTHAM, A. H. GRAY, GEO GREEN, GEO HALSTEAD, J. P. HARRIS, JOHN HARTMAN, ARCHIE HARTMAN, J. C. HARTMAN, J. M. HARTMAN, WILLIE HAWKINS, MARK HENDRIX, BEN HENDRIX, J. L. HENDRIX, W. D. HENRY, A. HENRY, GEO HENRY, S. L. HENRY, SAM HESTER, A. J. HESTER, CLAUDE HESTER, DICK HESTER, FRANCIS HESTER, R. N. HESTER, W. W. HIPPS, J. A. HIPPS, J. R. HIPPS, T. A. HOLLAND, E. C. HOOKER, J. A. HOOKER, J. E. HOWELL, BEN HOWELL, J. H. HURST, BILL HURST, T. J. IBROOKS, I. H. INGRAM, E. D. JOHNSON, C. A. JOHNSON, MONROE JOHNSON, R. J. JOHNSON, W. C. JONES, FRANK JONES, W. M. JORDAN, JESSIE

KERNODLE KERNODLE, J. B. KING, J. R. KING, W. A. KIRBY, JACK KIZER, WILL LAIN, ALBERT LAIN, CLAUD LAIN, R. B. LAIN, WILL LAMBERT, J. M. LARUE, BRIGGS LAUGHLIN, VAUGHN LAUGHLIN, W. A. LEWIS, H. B. LEWIS, R. F. LIPFORD, GEO LOCK, L. M. LOCKMAN, L. R. LOTT, CHARLEY LUMPKINS, J. H. MANESS, E. E. MAXEDON, D. L. MAXEDON, H. D. MAXEDON, J. D. MAXEDON, JOHN SR MCCOY, WILL MCCULLER, JASPER MCKENZIE, J. A. MEEK, JOHN MEEK, LAWRENCE MILLER, CORD MILLER, DICK MILLER, W. Y. MITCHELL, BRUCE MONTEGUE, BILL MOORE, BILL MOORE, KING MOORE, LANA MOTLEY, J. W. MOTLEY, JOHN MOTON, NEP MURRY, ALLEY MURRY, J. B. MURRY, J. R. NOLD, HENRY OWEN, D. S. PIGGOTT, W. T. PIGGOTT, WM PLUNK, C. C. PLUNK, GEO W. PLUNK, ODUS

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RAMER, C. B. RHOADS, J. B. RICHARDS, J. H. ROBERSON, A. S. ROBERSON, JIM ROBERSON, W. W. ROBINSON, ARLIE ROBINSON, GEO ROBINSON, J. C. ROBINSON, J. W. ROBINSON, SCOTT ROSS, J. A. ROWSEY, BOB RUSSOM, J. W. SANDERS, A. M. SANDERS, ALFORD SANDERS, SAM SMALLWOOD, H. P. ?

SMITH, E. M. SMITH, SAM STEVENS, STERLING STOVALL, A. H. STOVALL, J. R. SURRATT, WILL SWEAT, W. M. TALLEY, L. S. TALLEY, R. L. TALLEY, W. R. TAYLOR, T. F. TENNISON, C. P. TONSEL, AARON TURNER, JESS WALKER, J. H. WHARTON, R. E. WHITE, C. C. WILLIAMS, A.

WILLIAMS, GEO WILLIAMS, P. A. WILLIAMS, TROY WILSON, C. WILSON, CARL WILSON, ED WILSON, FONZO WILSON, H. E. WILSON, J. R. WILSON, JIM WILSON, TOM WYLEY, JIM WYLEY, PINK YOUNGER, E. G

Cypress - farmers are a little slow about getting their work on account of so much rain. Rev. L. V. Kirk of Carbondale, Ill is visiting his son, J. S. Kirk and daughter Mrs. A. H. Crocker, this week. Mrs. R. S. Delaney and daughter Missess Irene and Edna Mai, spent last week with the former’s father at Burnsville, Miss. S. W. Richardson was in Ramer last Saturday. James Crocker, Jr made a trip to Fortune’s Store Saturday. Mrs. Decia Kennedy was in the Kirk community last week. Otis Kirk visited his sister Mrs. Nettie Foust of Burnsville, Miss. Johnnie Smith and family attended our egg hunt at Union Chapel Sunday.

Sat. Indep Appeal no date

WATERMELONS Do you remember how much fun it was to sneak into your neighbor’s watermelon patch? In 1913 that was ‘a time in jail crime.’

Sandbox August 1, 1913

A couple of roasting ear (corn) and watermelon thieves from near Stantonville were lodged in jail Monday. This should be a warning. They were said to be professionals. (McNairy Indp. Appeal)

SHOOTING AFFAIR -MAY 12, 1905

Russell Dancer and Jim Burns, two young men living in the vicinity of Stantonville had from accounts became estranged on account of a certain young lady, who had been the subject of their attention. Burns seemed to hold the inside track, which angered Dancer, who on Tuesday waylaid the road as Burns came along and attacked him and giving him a dubbing when Burns drew his little gun and shot him. (Independent Appeal) LESSON: DON’T LIKE A GIRL IF SOMEONE ELSE LIKES HER FIRST

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YOU ARE NOT A PIG IF YOU EAT SOME CHOCOLATE. PIGS HAVE FOUR LEGS.

MCNAIRY COUNTY, TN CHANCERY COURT

CHARLIE HARWELL VS MARGARET HARWELL

DIVORCE PETITION , 1880 , DOCKET 438 Charles Harwell filed a petition for divorce on March 30, 1880. They married December 29, 1876 and lived together until July 1878. He stated she had an uncontrollable temper. She stated that he took up with Harriet Hill in July 1878. R S Harwell signed a bond for $250.00 with Charlie. He applied for divorce by accusing her but the divorce was granted on grounds of his adultery on October 8, 1880. Margaret was given custody of the two daughters but they were listed with him on the 1880 census. McNairy County marriage Book G pg 26, Charley Harwell married Margaret Williams Dec 29, 1876, D R Hurst, JP and Jerry Hurst bondsman. Marriage Book C page 447, Charley Harwell married Harriat Hill Dec 19, 1880by Rev H Burns and Henry Davis bondsman.

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Muddy Roads and McNairy County Schools in the 1920's by Nancy Wardlow Kennedy

Taken from Muddy Roads, Bureaucrats and Politics: The Trials and Tribulations of a Rural Tennessee School Superintendent in the 1920's by William R. Majors and published by the West Tennessee Historical Society, Memphis State University.

The one-room wooden school house, so much a part of our history, is a thing of the past. Modern structures are now common place. Hard surfaced roads in rural McNairy County have encouraged school consolidation and pupils today are transported long distances. Teachers are college graduates, certified by the state. Gains of the last 70 years are taken for granted and most of us never realize our rural schools were in a very primitive state just a few years ago. In the 1920's, McNairy County was rural and agricultural. Most people were small farmers row cropping the staples, cotton, corn and raising hogs. The population was 18,350 and Selmer contained less than 600 people. There were several villages and numerous smaller communities built around crossroads and churches. Although the county had an advantage of an important railroad, local communication and transportation was slow and uncertain. There were very few miles of all-weather roads. Most county roads were inadequate and often homes and entire villages were isolated by high waters and muddy roads in rainy seasons. Schools have existed in McNairy County since 1823; however, the county's public school system came into being in 1873 when the General Assembly created a permanent school fund and the county court elected the first superintendent that same year. The superintendent elected in August 1924 was Cordia Lee Majors of Ramer. He attended local elementary schools and then completed secondary courses at Adamsville Normal College, thus qualifying him to teach the primary grades. He had to "room and board" at Bethel

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Springs in order to attend high school. He received his diploma in 1914 at the age of 24. Meanwhile, he taught in one room country schools during the summer months to help pay his subsistence at Bethel Springs. Upon finishing high school he was asked to be principal at a high school just being established at Ramer. His career was interrupted in 1917 by induction into the army in WWI but he returned in time to graduate the first class at Ramer High School, a class of four. In September 1924, C. L. Majors began the first of two two-year terms by occupying the offices of McNairy County's chief educational officer, a single room on the second floor of the bank building on Court Ave in Selmer. He was the entire staff until 1927 when the school board provided him with some clerical assistance. In the 1920's, the school system was governed by an elected board of seven members, each representing a defined district and each informally controlling school matters in his district. At the beginning of this administration, there were approximately 96 schools with over 5,300 pupils. There were 5 white four year high schools and 4 junior high schools but there were no black secondary schools. The high schools operated on a nine month year but the elementary schools were in session only four months a year. More than two-thirds of the elementary schools were one teacher schools. The average expenditure per child per year was $16.00. The average teacher salary was less than $400 per year. The new superintendent inherited a system with dilapidated schools and pupil transportation was in a primitive state and it hardly could have been otherwise considering the quality of our roads. Transportation contracted to private individuals using either covered wagons or trucks with enclosed beds. The average daily attendance was well below enrollment. A combination of factors contributed to low attendance. Undoubtedly many parents saw no special need for education and did not encourage attendance. Often absence from the need for labor at home. A healthy child was an asset on the farm, especially at planting and harvest time. Bad weather, bad roads and epidemic diseases also held down attendance. Attendance was crucial in the small one teacher school where is some instances average daily attendance fell to nine or less, requiring consolidation with another school. Resources and facilities for schools in McNairy County in 1924 were indeed limited, but Majors became chief education officer at a favorable time. The public was beginning to demonstrate concern over the condition of schools and Majors had the opportunity to preside at a time of significant improvements. The General Assembly passed several measures in 1925: the length was established at eight months, the salary of teachers increased, licensing of teachers standardized, the school fund increased and a general building program begun. McNairy County quickly adopted the eight month school year. In order to accommodate the need for labor at harvest time, schools opened in July for about two months, then dismissed for about six weeks for "cotton picking time" before resuming. Need for improvement was nowhere more evident than in the quality of school buildings. The county possessed only three brick buildings. The majority were box or frame structures. The building were hot and stuffy in warm weather, cold and drafty in the winter. All schools were heated by wood burning stoves. In a survey in 1927, Majors concluded that 22 new building were desperately needed. Sanitary facilities were appalling even by the standard of the day. Not one single building had

80

running water, 63 had wells and 33 relied on natural springs for water. Only four schools had approved sanitary outdoor toilets. Most were classified as unsanitary and there were many that had no toilets, presumably bushes at least provided privacy. The building needs were almost unobtainable and required imagination and aggressive leadership on the part of Majors. Much of his energy and time went into the improved of our school buildings. Fortunately, rising revenues enabled the school board to devote more money for construction and repair. Funds for construction and remodeling increased from $4,000 in 1924 to $22,000 in 1927. Unfortunately, Majors did not have the pleasure of seeing his building program brought to fruition because he left office in September 1928. Despite the onset of the age of specialization in school planning and construction, building rural schools still had to rely on voluntary contributions of materials and labor on the part of the parents. The required patron contribution was clearly defined in 1923: "The Board will furnish flooring, ceiling, siding shingles, doors and windows and all finishing materials. The patrons to furnish all foundation and framing timbers and to erect the building upon an approved plan, without cost to the County, and the patrons to do all the hauling of material free of charge." Teachers were expected to be moral examples for our youth and this meant teachers should be active in and regular in attendance in church and in all cases lead an exemplar life. Some problems were unique and required the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job. One such problem: "Dear Sir: We have several cases of itch in the Mackey school, the ones that have it won't stop school, there-fore; those that don't want it are having to stop." C. L. Majors brought the educational system a dynamic and innovative quality of leadership. He succeeded in improving school facilities and the competence of teachers. High school enrollment grew approximately 63 percent. In August 1928, Majors lost his bid for a third term in a bitter campaign. Perhaps his leadership was too aggressive and changes were made too rapidly, perhaps increased taxes to pay for the improvements was a factor, consolidation may have been a factor. Whatever the reason, Majors left office with the knowledge that he had succeeded in achieving significant improvements in the public schools and he left his mark on the education system in McNairy County.

MCNAIRY COUNTY COURT, 1908 – ESTATE OF H. N. EMMONS

FRED EMMONS VS ROBERT E EMMONS, OUR CASE NO 172 H N Emmons died intestate in McNairy County on — October 1902, leaving Mrs R P Emmons, his widow, Fred Emmons, Robert E Emmons, Nixon Emmons, Wes Emmons, Josie Sanders and J C Sanders, all residents of McNairy County, Tenn and J L Emmons, resident of Texas. Land was sold Monday, Dec 14, 1908 at the front door of the court house in Selmer, Tenn. Being lots no 9, 10, 11 in block C of the original plat of Selmer. A suit was also filed against the Barber Buggy Co by James, Fred and Nixon Emmons Jan 1902, No 29. Which was purchased from P H Thrasher for $600.00 January 1894. Some of the items purchased from F P Browder by Mrs H N Emmons beginning in 1894\5: white lead, linseed oil, paint brush, Prussian blue paint, medicine, rock candy, caster oil, coffee, eggs, nutmeg, washpan, coal oil, bar of soap, turpentine, bottle of healing oil, 1 load manure, hamm, matches, colored

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pencils, shoes, bacon, sugar, lard, quinine, a bottle of King New Discovery ?, sage, stove, cuffs, calico, shirting goods, thread, can of peaches, bushel corn, 2 bottles SSS, #7 nails, machine oil. There was several times she purchased castor oil, so this must have been “the remedy back then.” She may have been an artist by the paint and pencils she purchased.

C O T T O N R I D G E Coal Hill Arkansas, January 10th, 1931 Mr. Thomas Blakely Wilhite Nashville Arkansas My Dear Thomas, sparing partner and grand son:-

When I was just your age, 4 years old, I went to Memphis, Tenn. My father was in the war and was stationed at Memphis, my mother, little sister Dorah and Aunt Pagan Barham, went to see my father. My aunt went to see her son Leander Barham who was afterwards killed in the corner of a fence -- he and a young man, George Manus, while they were asleep killed by bushwhackers. I remember very little about the trip, however I can remember that my aunt lost her pocket book we camped and she walked back several miles to look for it but I do not know if whither she found it or not. I can remember the solders and the little tents and going down on the bank of the Miss River I thought it was a very large river. I was born March 25, 1859, in a little log house chinked and dobed in the suburbs of Cotton Ridge Tenn a little town of about 29 inhabitants. During the war my mother moved to town on a small farm where we lived until I was 9 years old, my grand father also owned a water mill about 200 yards from his home, a big 2 story log house, it was in the millpond I learned to swim when I was about 7 years old. My father came home in June 1865, brother Pink and I was at school when we heard my father was at home, we ran all the way home, a distance of about 2 miles. I was not very well acquainted with my father as I had never seen him but once as I remember that was in Memphis in 1863, you see he left home when I was 2 years old, hence my limited acquaintance. It was this mill pond that my father would let us boys go in swimming as often as we wanted to if we would go in before breakfast. We went in between daylight and sun up beginning about the first of March and continuing through out the spring summer and fall and about the 15th of November we would go into winter quarters, I became an expert in the water. Could swim like a duck and dive like a fish. The first school I ever attended was the summer of 1865, the teachers name was John Cantiberry, a cripple caused from infantile paralysis. I did not know then what was the cause but I know now. Well I continued to attend the Cotton Ridge School every summer until I was 9 years old when we moved to Graves County, Ky, 15 miles from Mayfield, the county site and by

"There's never been a place called Cotton Ridge in McNairy County" I said to Sara Blakely Sieker when she came into my office. But I was wrong. According to Deed Book H, Page 307, "For cash in hand at Cotton Ridge in McNairy County, Aug 2, 1860, J. P. Blakely sold to J. P. Peeples: a two year old bay filly & two head of cattle." Nancy Kennedy

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the way it was in Mayfield that I saw my first man hanged, I can well remember how he was dressed and he said he did not do the actual killing but the man he was with was a very bad man, he told his pal to come away and let the woman alone but instead his pal killed her but the real killer was never caught as I understand. Well I can remember the move from Cotton Ridge McNairy County Tenn to Viola Station Ky we moved by the way of trucks pulled by a yoke of steers, one red and a black one. The red steer was named after me "Tom" and the back one name was Dick. It was about 125 miles from Cotton Ridge to Viola and it took 3 weeks to make the trip. It was January 1868 and the roads were very bad and muddy so we made very slow progress. I remember we got with in about 10 miles of our goal, Wash Peeples, a cousin of mine, who had been with us left us one morning and walked a head of the moving van to tell the news. It sure did make us sore as when we got there we had no strange news to tell as Wash had told it all. My grand father and some uncles and aunts lived in Ky at that time so when we arrived my father looked around and bought a farm from old man Taylor. The house on the farm was a 2 story house, a big room and a kitchen, a hall between so we was well fixed for room and shelter. Us boys worked on the farm made and gathered crops, going to school about three months each year after crops was made. We lived on this farm 5 years. My mother died on the 23 day of November 1872 and was buried the next day in a country grave yard on Brother Pinks birth day. In March 1973 my father married a Mrs. McCalister who had 4 children. We did not get along so in December 1873 we broke up housekeeping and moved back to Tenn. Leaving my step- mother and half- brother in Ky. Lest I forget my mother died 3 days after my little brother Ira was born it was my mother’s request that her Sister Aunt Eunice take Dora and the baby and keep them so she did. Taking them to Tenn where Ira died at the age of 9 months. I remember what we were doing the day we received the letter that Ira was dead, we were cleaning up a turnip patch and Uncle Ned Peeples brought the letter down in the field to my father. After going back to Tenn brother Jim and I worked for my grandfather on a farm at $8 per month, made and gathered a crop for which we received 64 cents each. I went to school that summer 2 months to a teacher by the name of Henry Gamble. He taught school in a log dwelling house. He was a fine man and teacher. He could read, write, sipher and spell real well. I had only 2 books to lug to and from school, a blue back speller and a McGuffies see reader. This was 1874 so the next year I worked for my Uncle Bent Peeples and wages had gone sky high. We, Jim Pink and I, all got 12.50 pr month worked 8 months for an even 100$. Nothing much to buy we all saved about 95 cents a piece and spent at going to school. The next year 1875 all of us brothers and sister started up house keeping. Rented what was called the Covy farm one mile from McNairy Station. We lived on this farm 2 years. We moved to an other place and Brother Will and I got a job on a section. I worked at this job 2 years never losing a day. Saved all the money I could and went to school as much as possible. I had made such great progress that I was employed as a teacher in a graded school in the country. On of my students finely made a Doctor out of himself and it was he that attended Mr. J. J. Bradley in his last illness. Well after working on the RR and teaching school I entered school again went to the South West Baptist University of Jackson, Tenn. Went back home and during the winter of 1879

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went to Dr J. W. Conger. It was while attending this school that I first met a little blue eyed girl that afterwards became your Mama. In or on the 26 day of February I landed in Knoxville Arkansas bought a car load of stuff through for my uncle Bent Peeples, made a share crop with him that year made 9 bales of cotton and 150 bu of corn. Picked all the corn and gathered all the corn, went back to Tennessee. Landed there on the 9th day of November 1882 attended my sisters wedding that night went to my grandmothers funeral the next day and was married my self on the 19th of November 1882. Came back to Ark and made 2 crops and went to work for Cazort Brothers on the day Grover Cleveland was elected president. Back to my first year in Arkansas after crops was laid by, a friend of mine by the name of Sam Evans took a notion to go west, so we rigged up a one horse wagon and pulled out for Indian territory. We went as far west as Weber Falls and in order to make expenses we rigged up a small slight of hand show. I was HouDinia so I had some bills stuck which read like this: "Thomas B. Blakely the great slight of hand performer Legerdemain and Ventriloquist will perform to night at the school house admission 10 and 25 cents" And strange to say we made expenses and then some. Well Thomas with the help of your grandmother keeping boarders and helping to save money I was able to attend the medical college at Little Rock, Arkansas during the year 1892 and 1893 graduating. Ten years later I took a post graduate course in Chicago, Ill and I am sure you have heard your mother say what a famous Doctor I am, cure cancers, relieve ear-ache, stop the colic in a 3 month old kid. You see I finally made what my grandfather wanted me to be. Now if I could live to see ---- become a great doctor I certainly would be happy. Tell your mother I will tell her what the wonderful salve is made of after she is cured but I am afraid to tell her now as the remedy is so simple she wouldn't have in confidence in it. Now you know if I was to tell her this is what the salve is made of she would quit using it. I sure hope her ear will get well and stay well as I can’t think of any thing that I would rather see than to see her ear well when she comes up to see us next spring and eat vegetables and fried chickens. Don't you know it will soon be time to garden, not quite a month, the 14th day of February is the time to start. Thomas I hope you enjoy this letter and I will write you some more one of these days. I will write you before gardening time as I will be so busy then I won’t have time. When you see your grand mother look on her finger and you will see a ring that I put on there 50 years ago one Sunday evening while we were hunting huckleberries. Love to you all, your grand father Thomas Benton Blakely NK note: Thomas Blakely (or Blakeley) married Mary Louise Bradley, of Purdy, daughter of Joseph John Bradley. In 1860 when Thomas was 1 year old, he is listed in the 8th district, 1860 McNairy County Census in the household of J. B. and Mary E. Blakely, next door to Mary's parents C. W. and Thursday Peoples. I got this from Sara Blakely Sieker, Littleton, CO 80122

DAVID ATKINS LINEAGE

Ear Salve

Sweet gum wax,

Oxide of zinc,

Mutton taller and

enough molasses to

make a salve.

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John Atkins, a Revolutionary soldier from North Carolina had ten children: John, George, Nancy, Elanor, Elizabeth, James, William, David who married Frances Brock Mullins and they moved to McNairy County, Tennessee in 1832, Ruben, Mary. Nancy Elanor Atkins, daughter of David and Frances Atkins, recorded her memories at the age of 86 on Mar 1, 1924: "My parents, David Atkins and Frances Brock (or Brook) Mullins, both born Rockingham, NC, were married in 1824. Mother was born in 1808 and attended Rockingham High School and father was born in 1800. Grandfather came from Ireland and grandmother Mullins from England. Great-grandmother Bethel was an Allen. The first five children of David Atkins were born in NC: Augustus (1824); Eliza (1826) Thomas (1828) John Sadler(1829) and Martha Lettice (1832). The family moved to McNairy County, Tennessee in 1832. David purchased 600 acres seven miles west of the Tennessee River in the southeast corner of McNairy County. They brought four servants with them: Jess, Polly, Sarah and Millie. Four more children were born in their new home: Rhoda Susan (1834) Sam Houston (1836) Nancy Elanor (1838) Irene Frances (1840). Our house was a good sawed log house, smoothed and planed with dovetailed corners. Short boards were driven between the logs and mortar was daubed outside and later painted white. Father died in 1840 before the house was finished. In 1853 Mother sold off land and divided their then ten slaves between the children keeping one for herself. Her reason for doing this was she planned to remarry a successful farmer, Ephra Barnett, who had plenty of land and servants. Augustus and Susan sold off their interests and moved to Texas. Instead of going to Purdy High School at the age of fifteen, I decided to marry with my mother's permission. Joseph (Joe) Dameron Leath and I were married on 26 Mar 1854 and we moved to his father's place three miles south of Hamburg. Joe's father was Joseph Leath, born 1796 and Joe's mother was Judith Dameron and his grandmother was Elizabeth Gainey (Hainey). Joseph Leath had been one of the first settlers on the Tennessee River and when he moved to Huntsville, Ala, he could have entered all the land he wanted from Hamburg three miles south and back to the McNairy County line for a cow and a calf. Four of my brothers served in the War Between the States. John escaped without being hurt, but Sam was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga. Two brothers and three sisters died in Texas, and one brother and one sister died in Tennessee. I will never forget my Mother's prayers on the morning of 6 Apr 1862 when we knew my husband was at the Battle of Pittsburg Landing. After her prayers we knew he would not be killed. On the 17th they drove the Yankee back and Joe came out to Mother's at Kendrick, Miss and spent the night with us. The next day he joined his company in Corinth. Joetha was born 18 June 1862 and I did not see my husband until Christmas when my baby was old enough to say Daddy." Given to Nancy Wardlow Kennedy by : Mrs. H. C. Knapp

JOHN AUSTIN

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It is believed that my ggg grandfather, John Austin, was born in Georgia and was married to Miss Bray. At some point, his family appears to be in McNairy County. Records show dealings between the Austins and Brays in McNairy Co. Census records show that the Austins and Brays lived near each other. W. G. Bray and wife Vianna are recorded. John Austin's son name his daughter "Vianna" and W. G. Bray deeded property in McNairy County to L.C. Austin, Dec 22, 1882. The only child of John Austin and Miss Bray that I have located is my gg grandfather, Johnnie Culpepper Austin, believed to have been born about 1813 in Rome, GA. He married Mary Ann Gurley. J. C. Austin died in McNairy County, ca January 1880. Johnnie and Mary Ann had nine known children; the fifth child, Louis Caste Austin, born abt 1845 married Sarah E. Mask on 1 Nov 1883, in Alcorn Co, MS. They had a farm in McNairy Co and two children, Louis Caste, Jr and Mary Melissa. Louis Austin SR, died prior to Sept 1889. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Indian Creek Cemetery. The farm was inherited by his children when they reached majority. His widow, Sarah, married Calvin Graham. Her exact death date is unknown, but Calvin Graham remarried December 1892. Sallie is buried in an unmarked grave in Oak Grove Cemetery. Her sister, Jennie Mask York and Jennie's family are buried in Indian Creek. Louis C. Austin, Jr. married Sally DeLoach and moved to Arkansas. Mary Melissa Austin married Rufus Neil Coke Sept 20, 1903, Alcorn Co, MS. They raised their six children, Irvin Frank, Helton Fidelia, Austin Neil, Ruby Jewell, Jack McWilliam (my father, 8 Jan 1920) and Mary Nell on what had might have been the Austin family farm between Chewalla and Guys. The family remained on the farm until the children were all grown. Mary Melissa died in 1935, buried in Indian Creek Cem. Rufus Coke, son of Richard Franklin Coke and Fidelia Stephenson, was born in 1884, in the community of Gift, near Corinth, MS where his father operated a store and mill. Richard Franklin Coke's father, William J. Coke, a Civil War veteran having fought with "General Lowerie" was captured at a battle listed as Goose Creek, Miss" in Dec 1863 and remained a POW until the war's end. William, Richard F. and Rufus Coke were all active members in Baptist Churches. My father became acquainted with my mother, Ruby Ilene Hightower and her identical twin, Ruth, when the Hightowers moved to Guys from Decatur, Ala. They were married Jan 8, 1938 in Corinth and resided in Alabama before moving to California in 1952. Jack and Ilene Coke live in Salton Sea Beach, CA where Jack pastors West Shores Baptist Church. They had four children, Barbara Laffoon, Jacqueline Hutson, John Steven Coke and Melissa King. Given to me Barbara Coke Laffoon

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